Q. I’ve heard that Netflix has released a new movie, “Mary.” I haven’t watched it yet, but would you recommend that I do so as a Catholic? How faithful is it to the truth about our Blessed Mother?
A. The modern era of cinema is no stranger to biblical epics. From the 1950s “The Ten Commandments,” to the popular ‘life of Christ’ series, “The Chosen” (2017-present), and now to the Netflix movie, “Mary” (2024), there has been an obvious interest in “uncovering” the mysterious history contained in the Bible. We moderns are exceedingly more comfortable, and certainly more entertained, with a television before our eyes than with a Bible in our hands. It’s natural, then, that in this modern era we find it intriguing to see famous scenes plucked from the Bible and recast in the dramatic world of cinema. But entertaining though it may be, how should Catholics receive these kinds of projects?
“Mary” is the result of over a decade in the making. It was directed by D.J. Caruso, a self-professed Catholic, and produced by Joel Osteen, who needs no introduction. The main aim of the movie was to make Mary “accessible” and to give young viewers the chance to see her “in a new light.” On a surface level, I found the movie entertaining. It was action packed, there were great performances, and the topic was of course one of great interest. It was a cinematic victory and action-packed thriller—but that’s just the problem, it was never anything more than that.
In a more extensive answer to this question, found in a piece entitled “A Catholic Review of Netflix’s Mary: How Biblically Accurate Is It?” (see www.emmausinstitute.net), I walk through 10 different categories of the movie, grading how the depiction each corresponds to Scripture and Catholic theology. Among the better contenders were the depiction of King Herod (meriting a grade A), the family of Mary (grade B-), and the scene of the slaughtering of the innocents (grade A). It’s failures—casting a large shadow over its small victories—included its depictions of Gabriel (grade F), the Annunciation to Mary (grade D), and the Visitation to Elizabeth (grade F).
The movie was a mix of orthodoxy and liberties—drawing from the biblical tradition, extra-biblical traditions (e.g., the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James), and, of course, the imagination of the writers. Grading the accuracy of each scene, though, still does not amount to what is perhaps the biggest issue raised.
The entire production raises an issue of inestimable importance for biblical interpretation, Catholic theology, and general Christian living, namely, the misconstrued effort to ‘get behind the text’ of the Bible to discover the ‘true story.’ Is this all the Bible is for—to provide a small window into history shrouded in literary forms and biased perspectives? Have the ancient texts lost their relevance for modern day readers, leaving the biblical events and characters entirely unrelatable?
If we relegate the Bible to being sacred history only, then the effort to translate its events cinematically does no damage. What is wrong with recreating history? But the Bible is no mere history. Using history as a tool, the Bible is God’s inspired Word, breaking through time and space to you and me, through which he communicates his very person and discloses his plan of salvation for the world. To rip its texts from their corresponding events is to silence God, for it is in the text that God speaks.
A fitting example would be the depiction of the Visitation in “Mary” and in the Bible. The Biblical text, through its genius and divine perspective, crafts the narrative in such a way that the literary depiction of Mary sings of her identity as God’s New Ark and Queen of her Son’s kingdom (cf. Luke 1:39-56). When we remove the textual depiction of this scene, when we ‘go behind the text’ to uncover the ‘real events,’ we do a grave injustice to how God is revealing Mary in that episode.
Caruso, Osteen, and company made a genuine effort to bring the people and events of our salvation to the main screen, and I respect their efforts. For all I can ascertain, their intentions were genuine. The Lord always prefers a sincere heart, even when wrong, over a heart that is right but full of pride. I hope they receive their due reward one day. Nevertheless, in their efforts to depict a “relatable” Mary, they chose action over fidelity, heroism over faithfulness, and relatability over providence.
In Jesus, God has spoken his final Word. All that we need to know of God and his plan of salvation has been revealed. The inspired texts of the Bible are preserved for more than just historical reference, but for eternal life: “but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). While I appreciate the effort of making Mary more relatable—a pursuit we should all undertake—I have all I need in the Catholic Church to relate to my Queen and Mother.
For a fuller review of this movie and Catholic commentary on its various parts, visit www.emmausinstitute.net.
This question was answered by Joshua Burks, associate teacher at the Emmaus Institute for Biblical Studies. For more information, visit www.emmausinstitute.net.
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