Ninian Smart’s Seven Dimensions of Religion.

Laura Yanes

Florida International University

REL 3111

June 7, 2021

The Breakthrough

The selected religious film to complete this paper is “The Breakthrough.” It is a 2019 American Christian drama film directed by Roxann Dawson and is based on the 2017 book “The Impossible” by Joyce Smith (Gleiberman, 2019). It is based on a true story that reflects on how modern faith is experienced in the contemporary world of religion like it was felt in the ancient periods. It is about a strong religious mother who, through her robust faith in God in prayers, saves her child’s life. The story connects its audience with the vital figure in Christianity history, Jesus Christ, who experienced suffering and agonizing spiritual moment of doubt from the cross where he said, “My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Like Jesus, Joyce, the mother, has to endure a trial beyond human reckoning when he decides to put her trust in God rather than scientific or medical rationale. Generally, throughout the film’s theme, one can identify Ninian Smart’s Seven Dimensions of Religion. In essence, it is a religious framework that typically encompasses seven dimensions, including experimental, mythic, doctrinal, ethical, ritual, material, and social.

On a sunny day of Martin Luther King Jr., Joyce’s fourteen-year-old adopted son and his friends decide to horse across the frozen surface of Lake Sainte Louise. While horsing, a section of the ice surface cracks to submerge the three boys where the two boys managed to reach the surface. John is trapped and lied underwater unconsciously for about fifteen minutes before he is rescued by some workers later. He is driven to the hospital while remaining lifeless with no pulse and at a temperature of eighty-eight degrees. Dr. Kent Sutterer considers John as clinically dead after performing CPR for more than twenty-seven minutes without a sign of life’s pulse (Gleiberman, 2019). Objectively, Joyce enters the room where her son is lied strongly praying for God’s miracle. She expresses her faith in God, believing that her son is not dead despite the doctor’s remarks. Everyone in the room believes the doctor’s comment regarding John’s condition, but Joyce continues crying out and seeking God to bring his son back. Through her strong dedication of faith to God, God hears and answers her prayer when some nurses alarmed the doctor on John’s pulse visibility. Everyone in the room remains surprised in realizing the resurrection of John through her mother’s prayers.

The fourteen years old John Smith is a descendant of Guatemalan, who Brian and Joyce adopted. Before the incident emerged, they had gone on a mission in Latin America as a way of Brian trying to avoid his tension and anxiety from their conflict with his parents back at home. After the incident, Dr. Kent announces the death of John and allows his family to enter the room to offer their goodbyes. Another doctor, Dr. Garrett, a specialist in drowning-related cases, also provides his scientific opinion claiming that the boy had died long before getting him to the hospital. The film shows how everyone apart from Joyce used scientific logistics to conclude John’s hospital situation. Unlike others, Joyce opposed the opinions and believed that God would resurrect his son from death which actually happened.

Through the seven religious dimensions, the film shows how spiritual experiences encountered by Jesus and Job during the biblical periods were passed on through Joyce when she decides to put her faith in God rather than scientific logistic opinions. Through different biblical stories related to religious devotion, Joyce applies the attribute of faith for God to bring his son back to life (Smart, 2008). Moreover, the film demonstrates the importance of religion within communities. This is clearly shown by Brian, who, after relocating to Latin America with his family, is offered a place to stay during their mission on the region. Because of their common religious beliefs, Brian’s friends allow Brian, Joyce, and their adopted son, John, to stay in their house while on their mission. Here, the film illustrates the importance of communities within religion as it provides a sense of belonging within different people sharing religious practices. Also, the film shows the religious dimension of material when Joyce and the new pastor, Jason Noble, enters into a conflict over the church, which used to be a sanctuary of Joyce. Joyce expressed her fears on the fact that the church’s physical building and its spirituality were being taken away from her. Thus, the film uses the church building to show the physical element of religious faith. Both the pastor and Joyce express their religious opinions regarding the church’s construction and its spirituality purpose (Smart, 2008). They all have different views on the church but with common grounds of religion.

References

Gleiberman O. (2019). Film Review: ‘Breakthrough.’ Retrieved from;

https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/breakthrough-review-chrissy-metz-1203182735/

Smart, N. (2008). The Seven Dimensions of Religion. University of California Cambridge University Press. pp9–21 Smith, SA.