Lectures - A Historian and a Theologian React to "Dogma"

Why has Dogma (1999) remained controversial and what does it actually say about Christian theology? “Dogma” is a 1999 fantasy comedy by Gen-X filmmaker Kevin Smith, released a few years after his break-out indie film “Clerks” (1994). Ben Affleck and Matt Damon play two fallen angels who plan to exploit a purported loophole in Catholic dogma to return to heaven. Denounced by the Catholic League as blasphemous, the film has since become a cult classic (forgive the pun), and many viewers believe they have found within its satire a thoughtful exploration of Christian theology. In this episode, John Hamer (historian) and Leandro Palacios (theologian) of Toronto Centre Place watch the film and share their reactions (Leandro has never seen it, and John only saw it once when it was first released). Join the livestream to participate in the discussion and to ask questions of our lecturer during the Q&A. This live podcast is part of our series exploring Christianity and the Bible from an academic perspective through history, mythology, archaeology, theology, and biblical studies. In this presentation we focus on the 1999 film “Dogma.” 📚 Browse our catalogue of free lectures at https://www.centreplace.ca/lectures Your generous support allows us to offer these lectures at no cost. Please consider making a donation (tax deductible in the US and Canada): ❤️ https://www.centreplace.ca/donate ️