R N I SV A N U R DA N E L SSO N

From State Officials to Teddy Bears: A Study

of the Image of Pastors in Selected
Nordic Films

The fact that some folks may attend films as resisting spectators
does not really change the reality that most of us, no matter how
sophisticated our strategies of critique and intervention, are usually
seduced, at least for a time, by the images we see on the screen. They
have power over us and we have no power over them.1
IN T R O D U C T IO N

The first shot of the Finnish film Riisuttu mies (Easy Livin, also known as:
Man Exposed, 2006) shows a young man lying on a mattress. He makes the
following statement:
A pig says oink oink.
A sheep says baa baa.
A donkey says hee-haw hee-haw.
My name is Antti Pitknen. I weigh 120 kilos and 206 grams. I have
a lot of problems. A whole lot.
The scenes that follow depict the same man having fun and being a bit
rowdy. He plays in a rock band, drinks with his friends, rides a bicycle
through the city. The film then cuts to him in bed with his wife. They are
startled as they hear the church bells and realise they are late for a service;
he is supposed to preside.2
This can be contrasted with the beginning of Ingmar Bergmans
Nattvardsgsterna (Winter Light, 1962). That film begins with a shot of
Tomas, the protagonist, in a religious service. The shot fades from black

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and we see the pastor, standing in the middle of the frame, reciting the
words of institution.
Our Lord, Jesus Christ, on the night He was betrayed took bread,
gave thanks and brake it, and gave it unto the disciples and said:
Take, eat. This is my Body which is given for you. Do this in
remembrance of me.
Almost half a century divides these two films. They present us with main
characters who are Lutheran pastors. One is Finnish, the other Swedish.
Both are going through a crisis.
Antti and Tomas are among the many interesting pastors we find in
Nordic films. This is a diverse group of movies and the pastors differ a lot,
ranging from Johannes in Berit Nesheims Sndagsengler (The Other Side
of Sunday, 1996) who might be characterised as a bit old-fashioned, to
August, the vigilante pastor in Anders Morgenthalers Princess (2006), who
goes on a crusade against the porn industry. In between we find all sorts
of pastors ranging from state officials to teddy bears.
IM A G E P R O B L E M S ?

The question of the image of the clergy in film was important from early
on. The production guidelines of Will Hays, which were approved in 1927,
included a ban on swearing, any suggestive nudity, ridicule of the clergy,
anti-patriotism, and so on. (Johnston 2000, 35). Until the mid-1960s,
portrayals of Catholic priests, nuns, rituals, and objects on the screen
[in films from the US] were checked over to make sure that they were
accurate and gave no offence. (McDannell 2008, 19). The situation was
different on the other side of the Atlantic, for example in the films of the
Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. There one could find quite nuanced
portrayals that some might even find offensive, like the doubting Tomas
in Nattvardsgsterna.
In recent years, some scholars have expressed worries over the image
of clergy in the media, including film. In Hollywood vs. America Michael
Medved raises concerns about the lack of positive images of priests and
clergy in recent Hollywood films.3 He argues that clergy and priests
are usually portrayed as conmen or clowns which serves to encourage
skepticism towards religious institutions.4
Duncan Forrester writes in Truthful Action: In the media, ministers
commonly appear as figures of fun if they appear at all. It is seldom
that we see a minister as a person with a recognised role and function

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in the community except in programmes about small rural communities

such as The Archers. He continues: It is true that church dignitaries
and individuals of evident holiness, like Mother Teresa or Archbishop
Desmond Tutu, still attract positive media attention, but despite that there
is a pervasive embarrassed uncertainty about the place and functions of
the clergy. (Forrester 2000, 65). His comment has a wider scope than
Medveds but they seem to some extent at least to share a sentiment or
worry about the image of the clergy.
In what follows I want to examine this with regards to films from
the Nordic countries. What is the image of pastors in recent films from
the Nordic countries? Is it overly negative or positive? What is the
function of the pastors in these films? These are some of the questions
I want to examine in this article. We will look at four recent Nordic
films as examples. It is my argument that the image that emerges from
looking at recent Nordic films is more complex and nuanced than is often
assumed.
S N D A G SE N G L E R

Sndagsengler is a Norwegian film from 1996. It is directed by Berit

Nesheim who also wrote the script. The film takes place in the years
around 1960 and is a coming-of-age story about Maria. She is the daughter
of a pastor, rebelling against her father and the values he represents. Her
father, Johannes, a small town pastor, is rather successful as a pastor
and is well liked but has some problems when it comes to dealing with
his family. He enforces a strict moral code in the community and in his
home.
Three scenes in the film illustrate the character of the pastor and the
relationship he has with his congregation and family.
In the church
The first scene starts in the church. The pastor is preparing for the service,
perhaps going over his sermon. An assistant prepares the elements for Holy
Communion, the bread and wine. The congregation sings and then the
pastor steps up to the pulpit. He says, In the name of the Father, the Son
and the Holy Ghost. Todays sermon is taken from the Gospel according
to St. John [. . . ] Meanwhile, Maria, who is the narrator of this scene, is
thinking about how she feels in church. She doesnt enjoy the services
and doesnt think highly of the church establishment. There is a marked
contrast between her experience and words on the one hand and what

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her father is preaching from the pulpit. A good example is the following
exchange, as Maria thinks to herself while her father preaches:
Maria: 640 hours. By the time I get confirmed, I will have sat here
for 640 hours. On this bench. Every Sunday I pinch Anna. Just to
cheer her up. We are supposed to look straight ahead. That is what
the church hags have decided. If you do not follow the rules you can
end up in hell.
Johannes: God wants us to rejoice. And when we look around at
everything good God has created . . . we can understand . . .
M: Mrs. Tunheim would look nice with lipstick. [The priest continues
but we cannot hear what he says.]
J: That is a sin. To live with Gods kindness, but with an impenitent
heart.
The cinematography and editing also serve to illustrate this contrast. When
Maria thinks of hell the camera lingers on her brother whom their father
is always scolding. When the pastor speaks about Gods good creation the
camera stops on Ms. Tunheim with whom it is implied that the pastor
might be having an affair.
After the service the film cuts to the dinner table in the family home.
They sing a table prayer. Olav, Marias brother, accidentally farts. He is
promptly sent away from the table, demonstrating the strict discipline in
this house.
The congregation loves the pastor
Another scene depicts a confirmation class. Johannes seems to be at ease
in his work. He is in control and even allows himself to joke. He seems
to enjoy his work and asks the class quesitons. Then we see Marias
perspective:
Maria: Father lives for his parishioners. He loves them. They love him.
[At the same time the pastor can be heard saying in the background:
God loves us.] We exist so the priest can have a home. A place to eat
and sleep. And rest. [Hes pretty cute! a girl whispers to another.]
Gods love is strange. [Only Gods love is eternal. says the priest]
Again a contrast is being drawn between the congregations image of the
pastor and his daughters image. This is underlined by having Maria think
about the love and relationship of her father to his family while Johannes
is teaching his confirmands about the Christian ideal of love.

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Morals inside and outside the home

The third scene is set in the home. Marias father expresses his worries
over her behaviour and he loses control. After a meal he asks Maria to stay
and says:
Johannes: Members of the congregation have come to me, Maria.
They were distressed. They were dismayed. I had faith in you, Maria.
You have lied to me, pretended you were at the youth meetings. But
instead you have been in the devils lair, a den of sin. [Shouting.] You
have been at the caf! [In a lower voice.] God cries over you, Maria.
Let me never hear that you have been there again. Devoted people
have done their Christian duty and come to me.
Maria: [angrily]: It isnt a Christian duty, its gossip!
After this she runs away. This scene is even stronger if it is seen in context,
for earlier Maria and Jenny Tunheim have discussed their image of God
and come to the conclusion that God cannot be against them enjoying life.
Thus there seems to be a conflict of two views of God.
A younger pastor
Johannes is not the only pastor in the film. There is a younger assistant
pastor. In one scene he tries to kiss Maria, which can be interpreted as
an attempt to abuse his position and power. He also implies that she
could use her looks to her advantage and that morals can be bent in the
certain circumstances. Thus he seems to stand for double standards and
questionable morals.
Summary
There are two pastors in Sndagsengler. On the outside both of them
stand for strict morals. This is expressed in, for example, a ban of the
use of lipstick or earrings, of playing the piano on Sundays, and of visiting
the local caf. Johannes is well liked by the congregation but there is a
discrepancy between his public life and his private life. Trouble is brewing
at home. The film is told from the perspective of Maria which may result
in a harsher image of her father. It is hinted in the film that Johannes has
an affair with Ms. Tunheim. While he seems to be a devout and religious
man, he is also keen on keeping up appearances. This may result in him
being harsher on his own children than on others.
Sndagsengler is a good example of a film that exposes a tension between
the moral ideals the pastors preach and their own practices. This is most
clearly expressed in the scene where the younger pastor tries to kiss Maria

From State Officials to Teddy Bears 167

and where he tells her she can use her looks to her own advantage. It is
also implied in the relationship Johannes has with his family. There is a
demand for perfection and an inability to live up to this demand. In that
way the film can be said to criticise the pastor.
LEVOTTOMAT

Levottomat (Restless, 2000) is a Finnish drama about love and betrayal

directed by Aku Louhimies. The main character of the film is a young
doctor called Ari. The film shows his relationships and affairs with three
women: Tiina, Ilona and Hanna-Riika. He is not an emotional man; early
in the film he states that he never goes on dates and has never been in love.
This changes as the film progresses, through his relationship with Tiina,
an affair with Ilona who is one of Tiinas best friends, and finally in what
might become a loving relationship with Hanna-Riika.
The third woman, Hanna-Riika is a pastor. She is identified as such in a
number of scenes and it is emphasised that she is a Christian and that this
is an important part of her outlook on life. Two scenes in the film illustrate
her character well.
A voice of truth
At midsummer three couples have gone off to an island to celebrate. Four
of the friends are sitting around a campfire drinking. Hanna-Riika starts a
conversation about Ari and Tiina. She says:
Hanna-Riika: Ill bet hes [Ari] not around in a few weeks
Stig: Hanna-Riika, bullshit, hes a good guy.
Riku: Youre always judging people. Its unfair.
H-R: I have a right to do so, Im a priest. [She laughs and then says:]
Hey, Im joking!
S: Which part was the joke?
H-R: The bottom [Everybody laughs].
While she is an easygoing person she she has a tendency to tell the truth
in a blunt and harsh manner. In this scene she sums up Aris character in
a single sentence. There are other scenes in the film that show her doing
the same and expressing a voice of truth, often the harsh truth.
The joke she makes is interesting. We could deduce from it that she
is rather relaxed when it comes to her role as a pastor. But we could also
see her as being somewhat on the defence about her faith and status as a
priest. The reason might be the company she keeps as none of her friends
seem to be enthusiastic about Christianity. Another scene in the film
illustrates this.

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Why a pastor?
The friends are sitting around a dinner table and Hanna-Rikka comes
to the table with a bottle of wine and a basket of bread. Bread and
wine, she announces, making a reference to Holy Communion. However,
she declines an invitation to lead the group in a prayer.5 An interesting
exchange then develops between Ari and Hanna-Riika:
Ari: Why did you want to be a priest?
Hanna-Riika: Why did you want to be a doctor [dismissively]?
A: Nice job. Good money. [. . . ]
Riku: People spend 90% of their time continuing with something they
once started. Someone said that.
A: For me its 100%.
H-R: Why? Do you think theres anything good and true in life?
R: The right answer is Jesus.
H-R: Christianity is the whole damn answer for me. What is it to Ari?
Ilona: Not all people believe in something.
H-R: Yes they do, or theyre not human.
A: I must be a monkey then.
Everbody but Hanna-Riika laughs and she leaves the table upset. The scene
serves to illustrate that she sees Christianity as a firm foundation to build
upon. At the same time she seems to be a bit defensive when it comes to
her faith, at least in the present company.
Summary
The portrait of the pastor in this film is most interesting. Her religiosity
is strongly emphasised as is her position as a pastor. This is done through
dialogue and visual cues. Of the pastors discussed in this article she is
probably the most frail, the most human and the most sympathetic. She is
shown drunk, she lives with a man but doesnt love him. She has an affair
with her best friends boyfriend. And it is hinted that there are difficult
experiences in her past.
It is obvious that she finds strength in her faith and sees Christianity
as something important. At one point in the film, before deciding if she
should have an affair with Ari, she is shown praying. In the scene a cross
that she wears around her neck is almost constantly visible in the frame.
This serves to affirm her religiosity and is a moral critique. The pastor isnt
perfect.

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Her most interesting characteristic can be related to her position as a
priest: She is the voice of truth in the film. She tells the truth about Ari
at the start, she sees right through him. She tells Ilona off for having an
affair with Ari and she gives Tiina advice at the end. This could perhaps
be seen as a prophetic strain in the character and it is interesting that the
filmmaker chooses to depict the pastor in this way.
IT A L IE N SK F O R B E G Y N D E R E

Italiensk for begyndere (Italian for Beginners) is a Danish dogma film from
the year 2000. It was directed by Lone Scherfig. The film was well received
by critics and audiences and won the Silver Bear in Berlin. This is a
romantic comendy about a group of people in their thirties who meet in
Italian classes. One of these is Andreas, a young widower. He is a pastor in
his first post, a temporary position. He has replaced an older pastor called
Wredmann, who was sent on leave.
Pastoral care and a Christmas service
One of the most memorable scenes in the film takes place in a swimming
pool at the hotel where Andreas stays. An employee of the hotel, Jrgen
Pedersen, aproaches him to discuss a problem. The scene shows how the
pastor is trusted and shows an example of pastoral care in a place not
usually associated with that activity. Andreas responds to him in a very
personal and warm manner. They speak of prayer, what one can pray
about. The scene ends with the following exchange:
Jrgen: One can tell you are a pastor.
Andreas: Can one?
A: Its not going very well, though.
J: No. [Pause] But it will.
As if to emphasise this, the film cuts to a service at Christmas. Andreas
stands facing the altar and behind him every seat is filled. The congregation
sings a Christmas hymn, but the pastor doesnt sing. The service finishes,
the people in the congregation wish each other merry Christmas. Many
come to Andreas and encourage him to apply for a permanent post. This
scene serves to illustrate two points, first that things are changing for the
better and the importance of the church during feasts such as Christmas.
Again there is a change of scene as the film cuts to a Christmas meal
in the hotel restaurant. Andreas eats alone and is lonely. The audience
witnesses a transition from Andreas the pastor to Andreas the widower.
He walks to the back and asks if he can join the staff. He needs company.

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Now the situation has been reversed. Jrgen, who has earlier sought and
received pastoral care from Andreas, is in a consoling role and gives the
pastor advice about how to cope with grief. And the viewer gets the feeling
that the pastor is human too. He needs companionship and someone to
help him cope.
Summary
Andreas is one of the two priests in these films who has recently
finished his training. His understanding of the church and its mission is
exemplified by the scene where he has a discussion with the former priest
in his congregation. There he expresses hope for the church.
The film shows him growing in his work. Church attendance goes
up and his position changes from being temporary to permanent. It is
also evident that people seem to trust him; they approach him with
encouragement to apply for the post. He is sought out for pastoral care,
in the church and outside it. His background gives the character added
depth. The same is hinted at with Hanna-Riika in Levottomat. It is obvious
that he has had a difficult past, but he seems to have dealt with it in a
constructive manner. Thus there emerges an image of a pastor who is not
perfect, but who is aware of his limitations and is trying to do well.
M IFF O

Miffo (2003) is a Swedish film, written by Malin Lind Lagerlf and

directed by Daniel Lind Lagerlf. The film was well received in Sweden,
by critics and at the box office. It is a romantic comedy about a young
theologian named Tobias Carling. He has recently graduated from the
pastoral seminary, and is starting in his first job as a pastor. He begins
work in a congregation in a poor neighbourhood in Stockholm, convinced
that he can change the world.
Tobias meets and falls for Carola, a young woman in a wheelchair who
lives on welfare. He is quite ambivalent and troubled over this. He worries
about their different social statuses and characters. In the end we will find
out that they actually complement each other rather well. Overall the film
is funny at times and quite warm. It shows their love story and Tobias
work as a pastor.
A young pastor
At the beginning of Miffo the newly ordained Tobias introduces himself to
Karl Henrik, his predecessor in the congregation. It is evident that he is
inexperienced, but he has a vision and is full of energy. There is a marked

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contrast between the two pastors. The older man has become disillusioned
in a church where attendance and interest are low. Tobias wants to connect
with the people and makes housecalls to achieve his goal. He goes from
door to door, but no one seems to be interested. Only one parishioner
seems to be interested: Carola who wants to borrows money from him.
They end up going out for food and beer.
Perhaps Tobias identity as a pastor can be said to be that of the
pastoral seminary. He is quite inexperienced, but makes up for it with good
intentions and a will to achieve. This changes and he matures as the film
progresses. Along the way he makes many mistakes.6 At one point in the
film Tobias and Carola have sex, he has a guilty conscience after this and
tries to break off their relationship. He becomes disspirited with regards
to his work in the congregation and has himself transferred to another
congregation. Meanwhile Karl Henrik, who was there before Tobias has
been inspired again and is doing all he can to save the congregation and
the church.
Summary
Tobias Carling in Miffo is relatively inexperienced, both as a person
and as a pastor. He seems to have led a rather straightforward life.
The film shows him growing as he faces several personal and workrelated challenges. The film focuses very much on him as a pastor in
various situations: His ordination, preaching, funerals, weddings and
pastoral care. Conversations between the young and old pastor are
revealing and it is quite positive how Tobias manages to inspire his older
colleague.
At the same time he runs away from challenges in his personal life and
work life. He marries his old girlfriend instead of trying to make things
work with Carola and goes to work in another congregation. All of this
changes at the end after all this is a romantic comedy. Thus a picture
emerges of a human priest, one who doesnt have all the answers and
actually comes to that conclusion himself in the film. He has has made
many mistakes, but learns from them.
IM A G E R E V ISIT E D

These are but a few depcitions of pastors from an extensive corpus. There
are many other intriguing pastors in recent Nordic films. We cannot see
the whole picture by looking at four films, but we glimpse a part of it. And
this shows that the image is more diverse than we might think at first. In
some cases it is negative, in other cases positive.

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The pastors
Six of the pastors are men, one is a woman. This need not reflect the
situation in Nordic films in general, but rather the choice of films. However
there are more Nordic films in which male pastors are the protagonists.
In these four films we have both young and old priests. There are four
young pastors and three middle-aged or old. It seems that the general
picture of the young priests is that they are inexperienced but energetic,
well educated and willing to do a lot at their job. On the other hand the
picture of the older priests is rather negative, especially in Sndagsengler
and Italiensk for begyndere. And while Johannes in Sndagsengler appears
to be quite good at his job, his family life suffers and he is quite moralistic.
Thus the image of the younger pastors seems to be more positive than that
of their older colleagues.
Generally speaking the image of the pastor is more human than holy.
Most of them make mistakes and deal with problems, small and large.
Most admit their faults and take responsibility. Some deal with grief and
difficulty, with loss. Some are confused. All ends well (except perhaps in
Sndagsengler). In this respect it might be of interest to compare films
about pastors with Jesus films. In Jesus films we can discern a development
from a far-away-divine-Jesus in the 1950s to an ever more human Jesus
in recent years. Perhaps a similar development can be discerned in films
about pastors.
What about the pastors as believers? In Sndagsengler we see that
faith seems to be a large part of the life of Johannes and his family,
exemplified in the prayers at the table. In Italiensk for begyndere the pastor
is asked whether he prays and answers promptly that he does (otherwise
he couldnt be a pastor) but he is not shown praying. In Levottomat we hear
Hanna-Riike state that for her the Christian faith is basic for existence, she
is shown praying and religious symbols are shown as being important for
her. It is interesting that the pastor who is shown as being most frail is
also the one who seems to be the most sincere believer. In Miffo we dont
have that many indicators of this, and there is no scene where Tobias prays
outside of the church.
The church
What about the church in general? What is its situation and where is it
headed? Sndagsengler shows a full church that seems to be very important
for the society, the pastors are respected in the community. At the same
time the pastors are criticised as described above.

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Levottomat portrays a church that appears to have good connections
with children, but most of the time the churches themselves are shown
empty (except during concerts). People come to religious ceremonies,
such as weddings and funerals, but young adults seem to be rather negative
or indifferent towards the church.
Italiensk for begyndere reflects a positive picture. There is hope with a
new pastor, the church is full at Christmas (but often empty or half-full
apart from that). The attitude towards the church seems to be positive.
People come to religious ceremonies (for example, funerals) and they trust
their priest. There seems to be a movement from an empty church (where
you have to cancel services) to a fuller church.
Miffo mainly portrays something close to an empty church, or at least
one that is filled with old people. The situation seems to be difficult, but
there is much hope and the direction seems to be onwards and upwards.
Many people are indifferent to the church and do not know where it can
be found.
The most positive image of a pastor and the church in these films can
be found in Italiensk for begyndere. There we follow a story of growth of a
young priest who has a lot of difficult experiences in his past. We see him
taking over in a church that is in decline. His first service shows an empty
church and the service is cancelled; at Christmas the church is full. He is
also respected by his parishioners and sought out by them.
T H E F U N C T IO N O F T H E P A ST O R S

Each of these four films raises a number of ethical and existential

questions. How does that relate to the function of the pastor in each
film? The Danish director Anders Thomas Jensen says that he chose to
make the main character of the film Adams bler (Adams Apple, 2005) a
pastor because the work of a pastor is to relate to the larger questions in
life. (Ejlertsen 2005). So, what kinds of questions are being explored in
these films? In Sndagsengler there is the tension between the demand for
perfection and being true to yourself and accepting yourself. Levottomat
raises questions about the relations between people, fidelity and adultery.
In Italiensk for begyndere grief is a central theme and Miffo explores themes
such as respect for others and vocation.
If the selection of films is expanded to include more recent Nordic films,
an even more interesting picture emerges. In the Danish film Adams bler
we have a modern day Job story about suffering and faith and meaning.
In Annette Olesens Forbrydelser (In Your Hands, 2004), another Danish

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film, ethical themes such as pre-natal testing and abortion are explored
and this is put in the context of guilt and repentance. Riisuttu mies is
a Finnish film that explores the tension between image and identity in
the context of vocation. Finally there is the Norwegian film DeUsynlige
(Troubled Water, 2008), directed by Erik Poppe, which connects grief,
repentance and guilt creatively. In each of these films a pastor is in a
central role and in many cases we can relate the function and presence
of the pastor to the exploration of these themes.
C O N C L U SIO N

The image of the pastor in these films is both complex and nuanced. For
that reason it might be desirable to refrain from using terminology such as
positive and negative when discussing the image of the pastors in films for
that might be to simplify matters too much.
We can see a movement in these films towards an ever more human
portrayal of the pastor. Rather than being an image of perfect morals and
living, the pastor is a typical human being, imperfect and frail like the rest
of us. Sndagsengler can on one level be seen as an attempt to address and
defy such a demand of perfection. In the other three films we have pastors
who deal with a variety of problems, ranging from infidelity in Levottomat,
to grief in Italiensk for begyndere and cowardice in Miffo. At the same time
the pastors in these three films are all quite likable.
It seems that some of these films play with our expectations about the
pastor and circumvent them. There is a reversal of expectations. Miffo is a
good example of this. It portrays the inexperienced pastor in a comic way
but can also be seen as a critique of the pastor who is self-absorbed and
not really concerned about others. Sndagsengler can be seen as a similar
critique of the demand for perfection. It is clear that more examples of
female pastors in films are needed and it will be interesting to compare the
portrayal of male and female pastors in films. Last but not least, in many of
the films the pastor is used as a vehicle to explore questions about ethics
and life in depth and perhaps from a different angle than might otherwise
be possible.
rni Svanur Danelsson (cand. theol.) is a member of the Deus ex cinema
group and is one of the two editors of the Deus ex cinema website and
journal (www.dec.is). He is also a doctoral student in Systematic Theology
at the University of Iceland, and is currently working on a dissertation on
theology and film. arnida@hi

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NOTES

1. Quoted in Lynch 2005: 83. Cf. Gordon Lynch who writes: Concern about media can
often reflect an underlying belief that the ideas and images we receive through the media
can in some way shape our own thoughts, attitudes and actions (Lynch 2005: 823).
2. Later in the film we learn the context of the statement Antti makes at the beginning.
Most of the film is a flashback. Thus it serves as a background that explains his actions at
the end of the film.
3. Quoted in Lynch 2005: 85.
4. Ibid.
5. Here we see a contrast between Johannes and Hanna-Riika. Table prayers were an
integral part of the family life in the household in Sndagsengler. Later in the film there is a
very strong scene where we see Hanna-Riika praying, so it is evident that she is a religious
person. But for some reason the pastor does not want to pray at this point.
6. In an informative article about the in the Swedish anthology Film och religion Maria
Kchen discusses her own reception of Miffo and calls Tobias a teddy bear tyrant (Kchen
2005).
REFERENCES

Films
Adams bler (Anders Thomas Jensen: 2005)
DeUsynlige (Erik Poppe: 2008)
Forbrydelser (Annette K. Olesen: 2004)
Italiensk for begyndere (Lone Scherfig: 2000)
Levottomat (Aku Louhimies: 2000)
Miffo (Daniel Lind Lagerlf: 2003)
Nattvardsgsterna (Ingmar Bergman: 1962)
Princess (Anders Morgenthaler: 2006)
Riisuttu mies (Aku Louhimies: 2006)
Sndagsengler (Berit Nesheim: 1996)

Books and journals

Ejlertsen, Martin: Filmstjerner med prstekrave, Kristeligt Dagblad March 29, 2005,
http://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/artikel/81496:KulturFilmstjernermedpraestekrave
Forrester, Duncan B. 2000. Truthful Action. Explorations in Practical Theology. Edinburgh:
T. & T. Clark.
Johnston, Robert K. 2000. Reel Spirituality. Theology and Film in Dialogue. Grand Rapids:
Baker Academic.
Kchen, Maria. 2005. Den romantiserade prsten som mjukistyrann, in Tomas Axelson
and Ola Sigurdson (eds), Film och religion. Livstolkning pvita duke, pp. 30719. rebro:
Cordia.
Lynch, Gordon. 2005. Understanding Theology and Popular Culture. Oxford: Blackwell
Publishing.
McDannell, Colleen. 2008. Why the Movies? Why Religion?, in Colleen McDannell (ed.)
2007. Catholics in the Movies, pp. 331. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

DOI: 10.3366/E1354990109000471