Al-Krenawi, Alean and Graham, John.  "Spirit Possession and Exorcism in the Treatment of a Bedouin Psychiatric Patient."  Clinical Social Work Journal 25.2 (1997).  
     10 May 2008 .

This study investigated the diagnostic decisions regarding the case of a Bedouin psychiatric patient, called “M”, who underwent sudden and severe behavioral changes. He felt angrily towards his mother’s disrespect for his wife, eventually instigating several arguments, and nearly physically attacked her.

He was referred to the nearest biomedical hospital, where he was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic with auditory and visual hallucinations that were themed around demonic images. The psychiatrist also gave him anti-psychotics in order to alleviate the hallucinations. Though the drugs calmed him, they did not eliminate these intrusive images. M failed to improve until he received guidance from a social worker, who arranged treatment with a traditional healer upon consideration of his Muslim background. (Because they highly regard the Mother figure, any wrongdoing towards her is considered sinful. Thus, M believed that God inflicted punishment by imbuing him with evil spirits.)

The healer, or Dervish, functions as a Bedouin version of an exorcist, working to treat mental and physical illness through the use of ritual and prayer. He diagnosed M as being possessed by demons, and went on to perform Tazeem, which is a dialogue with spirits—much like Western exorcism. The Dervish overpowered the evil spirits and managed to quickly relieve M of both his hallucinations and pent-up anger.

He continued seeing both biomedical and traditional practitioners until he felt fully restored. The psychiatrist admitted his initial diagnosis was incorrect, since the medications were not appropriate for M’s condition as he should have been classified as neurotic. Understanding his cultural framework, which insists on an external locus of control, was crucial for offering him effective treatment. Thus, the modern, scientific system would have been futile without the integration of traditional, religious-inspired practices. The authors posit that both realms should be seen on the same level, as complementary structures enriching one another.

In terms of the film, The Exorcist presented the ritual as outrageous and dramatic. However, this actually promoted the curiosity of many viewers, compelling them to explore the possibility of exorcism as a real phenomena with tangible benefits. People began to entertain ideas relating to practices of the occult, which involve superstition and supernatural powers; many took an interest in studying foreign cultures and understanding their belief systems for healing. As addressed in this article, it turned out that the synthesis of both science and religion proved to give the best outcome.

Hence, the film was influential in shaping America’s modern day religious scene. Many fans started to explore what they initially feared, opening up their minds to a new world in which otherwise ‘strange’ and seemingly ‘uncultivated’ practices were discovered to be actually useful towards mental health. In essence, people began to realize that biomedicine, alone, does not always provide the best answers.

Ferracuti, Stefano and Sacco, Roberto.  "Dissociative Trance Disorder: Clinical and Rorscharch Findings."  Journal of Personality Assessment.  66.3 (1996).  10 May 2008. .

Ferracuti and Sacco, two psychiatrists, conducted a study on non-psychiatric individuals who believed they were possessed by the devil. From a biomedical perspective, the purpose of their research was to better understand and potentially classify their unique behaviors. After receiving permission from the official exorcist of the Rome diocese, subjects were recruited from weekly exorcisms. Participants, who all strongly followed the Roman Catholic faith, were administered the Dissociative Disorders Diagnostic Schedule, Roscharch Test, and clinical interviews.

Findings suggest that DTD is a distinct clinical manifestation on a dissociative continuum. It shares many personality features with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID, formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder), such as altered states of consciousness with a foreign identity, problems in control, psychological complexity, and feelings of guilt. However, those specifically with DTD use extreme dissociation for regenerative purposes, only performing the ‘possessed’ behaviors in a socially accepted, safe, and controlled environment. Otherwise known as an exorcism in the Catholic Church, this setting allows people to reorganize their inner conscious state around an image of “evilness”, thus allowing the expression of inappropriate and unacceptable behaviors. The belief in a state of possession functions as an external control for the low capacity for ego integration and reality distortion manifested by these individuals. In other words, the Church provides coping devices that work as effective therapeutic mechanisms, in which possession serves to fulfill various needs by giving people a chance to let out repressed feelings and develop a more organized ego framework. The exorcist works as a guide in this endeavor, eventually helping people control their socially denied impulses while simultaneously replenishing their faith.

Had the authors not known about the individuals’ religious beliefs, the diagnosis would have been high-functioning neurotic with DID, instead of DTD. They consider the major differences between DTD and DID attributable to traditional cultural attitudes, which influence the belief in possession. Claims of ‘possession’ signify an effort towards ego integration, giving people a sense of security and thus revealing the importance of exorcism as a valuable religious practice.

Their study directly relates to an issue in The Exorcist: if possession is a ‘real’ phenomenon, what does it look like? Also, where does one draw the line between mental illness, where science is most useful, and possession, in which religion offers the best treatment? Ferracuti and Sacco emphasize how DTD can be understood as a psychiatric condition with problems in ego dissociation, potentially treatable through psychotherapy and other biomedical means. However, they also acknowledge the importance of cultural beliefs in shaping its outcome. The possession state exists to those who believe in it, and consequently, many fans were curious enough to reconsider their religious commitment, as well as their views on the causes and remedies of mental psychopathology. This once taboo issue quickly became the center of attention for some time.

Thavis, John. "Catholic Exorcist: Demonic influence is strong in today's world." Catholic Online International News 29 Aug 2006. Catholic News Services. 10 May 2008. .

This article was written during a religious Communion and Liberation conference in Rimini, Italy in August of 2006. The journalist describes the controversial beliefs of Rome Diocese exorcist, Father Amorth. He has spoken openly about demonic possession, and feels strongly about the existence of the devil and its influences, which come in several forms. According to his knowledge, every culture in mankind has been aware of these powers. He goes on to say that not only individuals can become possessed, but also entire groups of people, and ultimately, populations. He mentions how he is certain that Hitler and the Nazi regime were under the devil’s influence, as well as Stalin and other major world leaders.

Father Amorth thinks that the reason why demonic influence has such a strong global presence is due to the steadying decline in Christian believers, and the shift to superstition and occult practices which rely on magic, spirits, and other supernatural phenomena. Though he acknowledges that devil possession is extremely rare, he posits that the only way to heal those who have been ‘enticed’ is through the ritual of exorcism. This involves a chant supported by the church, which will overcome the evil forces.

This respected religious figure brings forth a major theme throughout The Exorcist. Does the devil exist?, and if so, can it be overcome through religious means? In fact, during the first half of the movie, Regan’s mother only trusts science and technology in discovering her daughter’s condition. The team of physicians thinks her behavior originates from mental illness, but cannot seem to find any abnormalities that could explain her sudden personality changes. She is in complete shock when they suggest exorcism, and only allows herself to believe in Regan’s possession merely because she thinks nothing is actually wrong with her. Hence, it must have been some outside force inflicting this harm, and so the devil must indeed be real.

In addition, the ending was highly ambiguous to most viewers. It could have promoted them to question the existence of God, with the torment of an innocent girl and the eventual death of two Fathers. Or, on the other hand, the closing events could have caused people to re-affirm their faith in the Church, with the victory of religious rite over evil, since the exorcism returns Regan to her normal and healthy state. In essence, the interpretation is highly personal, where some may side with Father Amorth and his statements on the value of exorcism, while others may find this deplorable and refuse to believe in the possibility of demonic possession. Still many others fall in between, not quite certain about the position of religion and the causes of evil.

Based on his best-selling novel, The Exorcist was written and produced by William Peter Blatty, who worked alongside Hollywood director William Friedkin. The film was influenced by an actual exorcism case involving the supposed demonic possession of a fourteen-year-old boy in a suburb of Washington D.C. A student at the Jesuit Georgetown University at the time, the young Blatty felt that the boy's eventual healing was proof of the devil's existence, and thus the power of God, heaven, and faith.

The film recounts the story of Regan, a pre-pubescent girl living with her single mother, Chris MacNeil, in a posh Georgetown suburb. All is going well until Chris hears strange sounds in the attic, which is followed by a series of peculiar behaviors elicited by Regan. She becomes unruly, urinates in front of guests, and uses gratuitous profanity among other things.

Her mother is shocked and desperate, so quickly consults a team of doctors for her care. Regan undergoes several intensely painful medical procedures, but nothing seems to give definitive physical results. After the death of a family friend and her continually dangerous behavior, the doctors 'give up' and resort to religious means. They suggest the ritual of an exorcism in helping Regan get back to her usual self.

Chris approaches Father Karras to perform the exorcism. After much hesitation and doubt on his part, he eventually agrees to do so under the instruction of the experienced Father Merrin. What ensues is a fight between good and evil, where both sides pay a price for the liberation of little Regan.

Overall, The Exorcist proved to be a breakthrough in contemporary horror film, setting the stage for future successes in this genre. On the surface, the film was popular because of its cinematic craftsmanship, successfully achieving basic elements of a horror film and portraying supernatural events as highly realistic for its time. Additionally, on a deeper level, its exploration of controversial issues tapped into the true fears and concerns of crowds at large. Both of these cinematic and thematic aspects contributed to the film's wide appeal.

This annotated bibliography provides a brief list of sources that investigate these topics.

(It should be noted that there are certainly several controversial themes highlighted in the film. Such include, but are not limited to: female and child victimization, uncontrollable youth, violation and disfigurement of the body, offensive language, sexual vulgarity, desecration of the Catholic Church, breakdown of the family, destruction of the home, etc. Since this project only entails ten items, I have chosen to focus on one overarching issue that the film forces us to contemplate--the roles of religion and science/modern day medicine in the healing process. I present four sources that offer differing views on this; the other six describe cinematic techniques, of which two assess their credibility based on audience reaction.)

Anton Kozlovic, talks about the Superman story from Superman and compares it to the story of Jesus from the Bible. He first begins by stating that the original story for the movie was more based on Greek mythology, but the director insisted that it be changed. He then goes on to elaborate and twenty Jesus-Superman parallels, including the three migrations that eventually led them to do their father’s work, their appearance as that of human beings even though they are both aliens, and the fact that they are both thirty years old when they begin their missions. Then Kozlovic elaborates on specific personal traits that both figures share. For example thought they both had great power, they were always willing to turn the other cheek and they both had dual identities. He then concludes by stating that it is no wonder Superman was so heavily enjoyed by so many movie goers—he is the modern day messiah. He also believes that the true meaning of films rest in the subtext, like it does in Superman.

The modern Hollywood blockbuster is not successfully just because of its extravagant special effects. One other important aspect—probably the most important—is the story. Without a compelling narrative a film has no chance of becoming a Hollywood blockbuster. Throughout history there has never been a story more captivating then that of Jesus Christ because it offers hope in a world of disorder. By emulating the Gospel, Superman again helped set the stage for future Hollywood blockbusters. Now many modern Hollywood blockbusters can be found that like Superman have modelled their plots on the story of Jesus Christ. Truly, there is no story more captivating and Hollywood writers now know what it takes to make a successful screen play, thanks to Superman.

 

 

    The article “New Mythology of Crime”, by John G. Cawelti examines the major popularity and acclaim associated with movie “The Godfather” and the reasons historically and socially for it rise to prominence in the minds of American entertainment consumers.

    People throughout history have been fascinated with crime, especially violent crime. In its earliest example we have the Illiad and several works of Shakespeare. This article takes a look at the progression of man’s fascination with crime or violence and how the development of the crime myth has has been shaped as a result the way in which the public identifies with character of the criminal.

    Cawelti examines the possibility that “The Godfather” popularity and renown can be accredited not only to what he describes as “Skillful writing, striking and emotionally involving characters and situation, and a powerfully unified action”, but also to the creation of a new type of crime mythology. He goes on to describe the development of the crime myth throughout history and shows its departure from the traditional dichotomy of moral good and sin towards dynamics that place the criminal in the role of the main character. Several factors influenced the development of the crime myth throughout the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Among these are the development of the detective story, which helped to create a sort of intrigue towards stories of crime and criminal activity. Romanticized criminal characters such as Robin hood and Jesse James also developed during the 19^th and 20^th as well as a deeper insight into the criminal mind through the fields of psychology and sociology.

    A unique aspect of “The Godfather” was the importance and imagery of the family to refer to a criminal organization. This conceit began a new type of association with the criminal character, a sort of understanding or identification with character that was never so prevalent in the crime myth previously. Also, “The Godfather” introduced a sense of awe or fascination with the power and respect of the criminal organization as a whole. The combination of these factors are clearly evident in the film as various parts of the movie are defined by family events, whether it is the wedding of Vito Corleone’s daughter or the baptism of Michael Corleone’s godson, the criminal activities are consistently connected directly with the family. The development of these new conceits is just one of the factors that set “The Godfather” apart as unique and help to explain its tremendous popularity.

 

Entries by name of site. Includes index, a list of religious site by State, and nice bibliography.

The Alavi Foundation's purposes are charitable and philanthropic with an emphasis on education and civic concerns. One of its primary aims is to promote understanding and harmony among people of different religions. Another basic aim of the Foundation is to promote the study of the humanities, arts, and pure and applied sciences. The Foundation gives assistance to public charitable organizations during times of hardship and deprivation caused by war or natural disasters. It also provides financial assistance to not-for-profit organizations that are involved in the teaching of Islamic culture and the Persian language.

County maps of the US by religious affiliation.

Journal of Urban History, Vol. 32, No. 6, 791-812 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0096144205284400
© 2006 SAGE Publications

Neither Fight Nor Flight
Urban Synagogues in Postwar Philadelphia
Jordan Stanger-Ross

University of Victoria

This article uses case studies of two Philadelphia synagogues to argue that postwar cities remained places of opportunity for creative local institutions and that the geographic flexibility of synagogues did not necessarily entail flight from declining urban areas. After their North Philadelphia Jewish residential enclave dissipated, Mikveh Israel and Rodeph Shalom recast the meaning of community and membership to accommodate their dispersed congregations. Rather than remaining neighborhood synagogues, Mikveh Israel and Rodeph Shalom connected members dispersed across the metropolitan area who were committed to preserving their religious institutions at the center of the city. Postwar Jewish community at these two synagogues developed metropolitan contours.

Key Words: Jewish • synagogues • North Philadelphia • urban decline • geography

County maps of the US by religious affiliation.

County maps of the US by religious affiliation.

This article "Religion and Sex" written by Don Lattin in the San Francisco Chronicle, discusses many of the moral issues of the 1960s raised by the film The Graduate. He argues that American culture, starting in the 60s, began to move quickly away from traditions of religion. In fact, sixty five percent of baby boomers believed that individuals should freely associate themselves with certain religions without being influenced by factions such as church groups. Americans' minds have become increasingly consumed with thoughts of sex and promiscuity as opposed to Jesus and the Bible.

As we move further away from the religious society that Lattin hopes for, we begin to lose values and lose sight of what's truly important. In The Graduate, Hoffman's character, Ben, is straight out of college and is quickly bombarded by the new culture of the 60s. Since society seemed to have moved far from tradition, more and more opportunities seemed to present themselves, leaving Ben, and the rest of his generation confused with too many potential directions to turn in.

Lattin argues that, beginning in the 60s, "with flowers in their hair and lust in their hearts", young Americans adopted the sexual revolution, making traditionally promiscuous things seem almost mundane. Homosexuality became more readily accepted along with ideas of extramarital and premarital sex. Polygamy became expected and it seemed that few people like Lattin still held onto traditional beliefs.

Benjamin Braddock never fully breaks Lattin's traditional barriers and never fully allows the new racy society to completely consume him. What is most important about his character is that he was able to "follow his bliss". Although Ben was presented with all of these new opportunities both sexually and in the fast-growing plastic world, in the end, he resorts to tradition.

Is Life Beautiful? Can the Shoah Be Funny? Some Thoughts on Recent and Older Films

Sander Gilman toils with the confusing emotional relationship between horror and humor, investigating the links between the two in regard to the Holocaust.  He sets up a distinction between the reality of the Holocaust, which demands seriousness, and the representation of the Holocaust, siting scholars such as Terrence Des Pres, who believes that humor can be used as a coping mechanism. Gilman looks at various films about the Holocaust and the works of various Jewish comedians in order to propagate that approaching the Holocaust by way of humor is rarely attempted, as laughter is not the socially constructed reaction.  Films that have been successful in political mockery of World War II Fascism such as Charlie Chaplin’s, The Great Dictator, date back to pre-Holocaust production, before such use of comedy was deemed taboo or by a conspicuous Jewish director.     

Gilman turns to Life as Beautiful a successful integration of comedy and the Holocaust because of its human not Jewish appeal and uses Jakob the Liar by Jurek Becker as a means of highlighting its success.  Gilman suggests that the film is “quasi-autobiographical” as it implicates Benigni’s father’s experiences, an Italian non-Jewish soldier.  Gilman speculates that the success of the integration is due to the film’s non-Jewish world that separates the Holocaust from the past and the future. Moreover, the laughter is encouraged because it confirms the success of Guido’s actions to save his son, the more we laugh the better job Guido is doing in protecting his son and if our expectations are fulfilled we feel good about laughing. 

Despite several differences and parallels, Benigni’s film unlike Becker’s, was made in the 1990’s and by a self-conscious non-Jew.  His emphasis on the human tragedy of the Holocaust regardless of religion is something Gilman believes makes his integration of humor and holocaust feasible.  

 

 Smith, Jeffrey A. "Hollywood Theology: The Commodification of Religion in Twentieth-Century Films." Religion and American Culture. 11.2 (Summer, 2001): 191-231.

 

 
William Peter Blatty’s inspiration for The Exorcist was a Washington Post article about a successful exorcism, in which he has said that it confirmed his belief in God and religion. Presenting this idea to the public in film format was a major challenge, as it can be difficult to discern the religious message among the externalities, such as special effects. In this article, Jeffrey A. Smith documents the evolution of religion in film throughout the twentieth century, presenting examples in a large number of films including The Exorcist.

Smith shows that the treatment of religion in film transitioned from being respectful and institutional until the 1960s, with MPPDA codes prohibiting the use of God’s name in vain, to being about an individual’s quest for religion later in the century. The Cold War era brought about emotional distance in this topic and eventually, God was being personified into people or characters, and humor was used to address religion. The movement from divine spirits to earthly objects translated into The Exorcist with the evil powers possessing a human life. In this sense, The Exorcist was a film that would classify as a transitional movie among religion in film.

Smith notes that The Exorcist could easily have received an X rating or obscenity prosecution, but the notorious parts were in the context of a church ritual. He proceeds to say that the film “avoids opportunities for theological exposition and can be experienced as little more than a horror show” (214). Although moralistic endings can be attached to possession movies, he accuses films of the “satanic power genre” as being little more than a spectacle and an exploitation of religion. A religious view on the film is essential in assessing whether Blatty achieved his goals, and Smith’s evaluation of religion in twentieth-century film puts The Exorcist into a much larger perspective.

In defining crime, this article sites The Godfather as a film that not only was wildly successful in its own right, but one that also sparked a crime craze in terms of the manner in which violence was portrayed and consumed by the public.  While it does not attempt to claim that this movie somehow created interest in crime, because this is something the article suggests if very innate to human beings, but rather questions how human beings justify their interest in violence and how definitions of crime vary between cultures.  Finally, the article seeks to answer the question as to whether or not this film somehow changed beliefs about crime and violence.

In order to consider these questions, and prove The Godfather, both as a film and a novel, is representative of a new morality regarding crime, the authors proceed by comparing the structures of this film to the structures of novels and films in the past.  The first aspect of the movie that is considered is the usage of the word “family,” specifically given its historical usage in Italian, which is symbolically used as a replacement for the mafia, or organized crime.  The use of the word family as well as the parallel structures drawn from the Corleone family itself to that of the organized crime unit changes how one views the crime family, making it more complex that simply a group of gangsters out to commit crimes.

A second important factor in the view of crime put forth by The Godfather, is the way in which violence is romanticized and justified in the film.  As the article suggests, we then understand Don Vito’s choices and become sympathetic to him as a character.  As Michael understands him, we too accept his violence.

The article also discusses how a scientific and social approach to crimes had arisen, and places this as a third way in which beliefs about violence were changing.  There was a movement, as depicted in this film, away from morals and religion, which were traditionally associated with crimes.  Therefore, a new belief system had arisen along with new entertainment.

In this article Walter Evans argues that Stanley Kubrick’s thesis in A Clockwork Orange is the exact opposite of what moralist writers have said about it. He also discusses the film’s implications on free will while calling for reformation of society’s institutions. The writer makes a number of impressive points that help one understand the film better. First he quotes Pauline Kael, a writer for The New Yorker, who blames Kubrick and other moviemakers for creating a “new mood” for society. She states movies do not mirror reality as filmmakers claim. They desensitize us to violence and incorrectly shape our view of the world. However, the writer of the article impressively argues the opposite. Alex lives in a more violent future that Kubrick blames on failures of social institutions, not on movies shaping a “new mood.” He points out that movies are largely absent in the film. Family, school, the police, and the government are all weak in this film and can be attributed as the cause of a violent world. He points out each of these institutions failures while exonerating film. Then he goes even further by showing that film is indeed the savior of society through its use in the Ludovico technique whereby Alex is conditioned to avoid violent behavior through film and drugs. While moralists such as Kael claim that movies are negatively affecting our culture, Kubrick shows that only through extreme circumstances (forced, repeated viewing and drug effects) can movies affect our behavior. Even if normal viewing of films could modify our behavior, it would be wrong to censor it. That takes away our ability to choose. The writer also points out that art and religion would be pointless without violence and sex. The lessons of the Bible could not be taught without violence. To take away violence and sex from humans is dehumanizing.

The writer points out differences in the book and the movie. Burgess blames the scientific community for Alex’s transformation whereas Kubrick represents it as a political move. Kubrick also makes the prison Chaplain more pious, making the character more believable when he argues about an individual’s ability to choose good over evil.

Kael criticizes Kubrick for causing viewers to root for the brutal Alex. The writer, again, shows that things are not as they appear to be. We are not happy that Alex returns to violence in the end; we are pleased because he can choose evil or good.

In defining crime, this article sites The Godfather as a film that not only was wildly successful in its own right, but one that also sparked a crime craze in terms of the manner in which violence was portrayed and consumed by the public.  While it does not attempt to claim that this movie somehow created interest in crime, because this is something the article suggests if very innate to human beings, but rather questions how human beings justify their interest in violence and how definitions of crime vary between cultures.  Finally, the article seeks to answer the question as to whether or not this film somehow changed beliefs about crime and violence.

In order to consider these questions, and prove The Godfather, both as a film and a novel, is representative of a new morality regarding crime, the authors proceed by comparing the structures of this film to the structures of novels and films in the past.  The first aspect of the movie that is considered is the usage of the word “family,” specifically given its historical usage in Italian, which is symbolically used as a replacement for the mafia, or organized crime.  The use of the word family as well as the parallel structures drawn from the Corleone family itself to that of the organized crime unit changes how one views the crime family, making it more complex that simply a group of gangsters out to commit crimes.

A second important factor in the view of crime put forth by The Godfather, is the way in which violence is romanticized and justified in the film.  As the article suggests, we then understand Don Vito’s choices and become sympathetic to him as a character.  As Michael understands him, we too accept his violence.

The article also discusses how a scientific and social approach to crimes had arisen, and places this as a third way in which beliefs about violence were changing.  There was a movement, as depicted in this film, away from morals and religion, which were traditionally associated with crimes.  Therefore, a new belief system had arisen along with new entertainment.

            Leland Miles critically examines the merits of the 1935 canonization of Thomas More and its resonance in Great Britain. He reinforces the doubts of critic Ernest Baker, who poses this difficult question to More’s legacy: “is a free conscience which keeps silence really free?” (19). Accordingly, Miles opines that, because More maintained silence, or worse, did not actively oppose Henry’s treatment of Lutheran heretics while he was chancellor, More is at best an “unsatisfactory Saint” or, worse, a “negative martyr”.

             In his account, Miles applies More’s own definition of torture from his Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation to his personal treatment of heretics. The three forms of torture More articulates are: lowest, the deprival of property; intermediate, minor harassment; and most intense, painful death. There is little evidence More, as Lord Chancellor, violated the first form with anything besides confiscating Lutheran books (21). With regards to the second tenant, critics argue that he imprisoned heretics, but supporters contend he treated them in accordance with the law. With regards to the most intense form of torture, it is noted that he burned heretics. In his defense, it is likely that More had little oversight over these burnings because they occurred at the end of his tenure when he possessed less power. Additionally, More viciously attacked the views of Luther (27). However, Miles contends, the state, not the church was ultimately responsible for these deaths, and, as Lord Chancellor, More was in the position of ultimate responsibility.

            Though More may have had little influence over these outcomes, and they may have perceivably been justified to protect the church (26), Miles contends that “one must regret that a Saint followed, rather than transcended, the predominant views of his time” (26). In short, at a minimum More acted with disregard for the principles he espoused in Utopia, but it could simply be the case that “More simply changed his mind”(30) over time.

For what reason did the story of Sir Thomas More generate such global appeal following the release of Zinnemann’s movie? In his article in Moreana, a journal devoted to the study of Sir Thomas More, France Reynolds strives to articulate the nature of More’s universal appeal and how the movie expresses it.

Reynolds attempts to discover how the struggle of a Catholic Briton, four-hundred years after his death, could appeal to a universal audience. He notes that the struggles facing More do not apply to most of the audience. The issue of struggling against a monarch is irrelevant, and the tenants of Catholicism matter little to people of other faiths. Thus, More appeals to the audience because he embodies the universal and widely admirable characteristics of integrity and the love of truth and justice.

Additionally, Bolt’s liberal use of historical material allows him to use the play as a conduit for his own ideas. Thus, A Man for All Seasons, much like Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan, “translate(s) past events into present-day terms”(936). Bolt takes liberty with historical fact in his interpretation of the trial to underscore More’s isolation and make his plight more understandable to the audience. In reality, there were no spectators at the trial, and Cromwell was a judge, not the prosecutor. Additionally, the prosecution is conducted in the American style. However, Bolt only does this because, as a dramatist, he wanted to emphasize the ideological struggle between More and Cromwell. More symbolizes conscience, a man who sacrifices ephemeral possessions to protect his immortal self, while Cromwell stands for the cynic who will sacrifice his soul. Ironically, Cromwell’s triumph over More is fleeting, as he too later faced the executioners.

Reynolds holds that the personality of More is so captivating that all fall under his spell. More endures because of the universal feeling of over-governance, and admiration for his courage and fortitude(39).

Claiming to be the longest running radio drama (starting in 1950, one year before BBC's The Archers), Unshackled is a Christian radio program based out of Chicago broadcast internationally.