Babette's Feast

I'm thinking of holding a "Feast & Film" night were a bunch of us get together eat some nice food, watch a film and then talk about it. I was thinking of using Babette's Feast, so if you've seen the film or you've held a discussion group on the film I'd welcome your comments.

Given my "low church" background my sacramental thinking is not what it would be had I been brought up, say an Anglican. But I think I'm getting there and hope that in watching this film together we might like the followers of the "prophet" in the film come to acknowledge and experience the sacramental texture and depths of everyday life, of the created order and discover the divine.

"Love and Truth meet in the street,
      Right Living and Whole Living embrace and kiss!
   Truth sprouts green from the ground,
      Right Living pours down from the skies!
   Oh yes! God gives Goodness and Beauty;
      our land responds with Bounty and Blessing.
   Right Living strides out before him,
      and clears a path for his passage". - Psalm 85: 10 (The Message).

Comments

[HippoCritic]

Having appreciated some of my formative years as an anglican, I tend to agree with my grandfather who was episcopalean, and a paid up member of the prayer book society. His view was that the traditional anglican liturgy as set out in the "Book of common prayer" - the set Bible readings, collects and creeds - provided rich spiritual sustenance even in the face of any liberal nonsense that may have been spewed from the pulpit. In other words, the worship in the liturgy transcends personality. For me, that's what worship is all about. All too often in our "low church" I come out of the service evaluating it in terms of the quality of the contributions - the speaker, the worship leader, the encouraging word /testimony/prophecy etc. My worship descends to the personalities. Reciting those creeds week in and week out as a child, I understood that these statements were fundamental truths of the christian faith to be treasured, and while I can't remember one sermon I sat through I still treasure the truth of those creeds.

[Kirstin]

Babette Feast is a fantastic film, and a great one for doing what you are suggesting with.
The Eucharist, Lord's Supper, Mass, Communion - call it what you will - is recalling Christ's great sacrifice to us. He gave until his body was broken and his blood was shed, He gave of His all keeping nothing back, and He gave it to us, who were 'still far off'.
What Babette does certainly runs in parallel with that, she gives of her all, her best to those who don't have a lot of time for her, she gives completely - spending every last penny - without complaint and without looking for any reward in return, she gives what she has to offer to those who didn't think she could offer them anything. She left them with a meal to remember, just as Christ left us with a meal to continually remember Him by.
The parallels don't end with the meal itself however. She served them just as Christ came to be servant to all. She went to those who others tried to ignore, just as Christ went to tax collectors, sinners and gentiles ... I could go on but I wont as I am sure you can find plenty of comparisons yourself.
It's a great idea and I hope you have a good night when you do it.

[Brodie]

Hippoc Critic - interesing thoughts indeed. We really need to coffee again sometime soon!

[Brodie]

Kirstin - thanks for our thoughts and encouragement. I'll let you know how things go once I get around to organising it!

[fernando]

I've used the film twice in discussion groups and the connections are so obvious with communion and mission. There's also a lot of stuff about grace and about who gets invited to the eternal "feast" to consider as well. Interesting parallels with the wedding feast in Matthew 22.

[Account Deleted]

Hi Brodie, went over to Mosaic today with my family - it was a really good experience. noted that they are going to be showing and discussing Babette's Feast on the 15th October as part of a 'series' on community.