Theoretical Context
For much of its emergent history, the field of religion and film studies has focused on interpreting the releases of secular production studios through a theological or religio-sociological lens (Johnston 2000, Lyden 2003, Clark 2003, Anker 2004). These works make important contributions to the respective fields, however, they leave the output of self-designated religious filmmakers outside of their analysis. While Heather Hendershot’s Shaking the World for Jesus: Media and Conservative Evangelical Culture does offer an excellent discussion of Christian filmmaking, it is now twenty years out of date. Furthermore, Hendershot’s work situates itself largely through rhetorical analysis—exploring the relationship between Christian media and their potential converts, with particular emphasis towards compromises made in order to maintain broad appeal. There is therefore a gap in the literature analyzing both modern Christian filmography as well as the relationship Christian films have with pre-existing believers.
The proposed paper will build on Hendershot’s analysis with the framework of genre affect as outlined by Linda Williams in her 1991 essay “Film Bodies: Gender, Genre and Excess.” Specifically, Williams argues that the cinematic genres of melodrama, horror, and pornography are best conceptualized not through narrative but through the emotional affect they generate in their viewers. This essay will argue that Christian filmmaking is also best analyzed through emotional affect. Although Christian films intersect with a wide variety of genres—drama, thriller, horror, western, romantic comedy, and musical, to name a few—their affective appeal can be broken down into three categories: disciplinary fear, holy spirit, and victimization complex.
For the sake of focus, this essay will limit its analysis to Christian filmmaking in the United States. This is due to the increasing entanglement between conservative Christian films and white nationalism in the U.S., particularly in the last decade, that warrants a separate discussion from other markets.
Disciplinary Fear
Christian filmmaking truly began in the United States with the release of A Thief in the Night (dir. Donald W. Thompson, 1972). While some earlier efforts had been made, they were done purely on a volunteer basis and did not expect a profit. A Thief in the Night’s modest indie budget of $68,000 USD would gross 4.2 million in its first twelve years of sales ($510,000 and $12.68 million when adjusted for inflation), proving for the first time that there was a market for films made by by explicitly self-appointed Christian studios. (Balmer 1989/2024, 62). The film launched the apocalypse subgenre through its three sequels as well as similar franchises concerned specifically with the fate of disbelievers during the Rapture (Apocalypse [1998-2001], Omega Code [1999-2001], Left Behind [2000-2023])
A Thief in the Night and early entries in the apocalypse subgenre exemplified the first affect of Christian filmmaking: disciplinary fear. Disciplinary fear is separate from the fear affect evoked from secular horror films in that it is more overtly linked to real life application. While the horror genre has always held immense political implications—see the works of Carol Clover, Barbara Creed, Erin Harrington, Russel Meuff and Robin Wood—it is rarely linked to a direct call to action. Disciplinary fear, however, utilizes the fear of eternal torment in hell to incentivize behavior. Early screenings of A Thief in the Night, usually held in churches or community centers, would often be followed by invitations for conversion or rebaptism. Although impossible to verify, director Doanld Thompson estimated four million people had converted after screenings of the films by 1989 (Balmer 1989/2024, 62-63).
Affirmation
Apocalyptic filmmaking slowly lost its appeal after several decades passed and the Rapture stubbornly refused to materialize. In their place Christian films coalesced around the affect of affirmation. Beginning in the 1990’s with studios like Feature Films for Families and truly coalescing in the 2000s with the theatrical success of Kendrick Brothers Productions, affirmation films revolve around Christians being rewarded for their faith in the present or a nostalgic near-past. Examples include Fireproof (dir. Alex Kendrick, 2008) Woodlawn (dir. Andrew and Joe Erwin, 2015) War Room (dir. Alex Kendrick, 2015), and Overcomer (dir Alex Kendrick, 2019).
While genres vary, affirmation films are united in clear-cut explorations of morality. One or more protagonists in an affirmation film will be simultaneously struggling with ethical decisions, having doubts about their faith, and usually also facing familial and financial strife. Through a renewed commitment to Jesus, the protagonist learns to make the right ethical decisions and is rewarded with wealth and love. Crucially, morals explored are simple enough in a conservative Christian context (lying, stealing, adultery, drug abuse) that the audience is always aware of the right decision to make. The appeal is therefore linked to prosperity gospel: it is an affirmation that the audience knows Christian morals and that Christian morals bring material rewards.
Victimization Complex
Parallel to the MAGA era, Christian films have found revitalization through framing Christianity as a minoritized group under attack from liberals. While the most successful film that arguably launched this movement was God’s Not Dead (dir. Harold Cronk, 2014), there have been many subsequent efforts utilizing this affect, including I’m Not Ashamed (dir. Brian Baugh, 2016), Finding Love in Quarantine: the Movie (dir. Matt Shapira, 2021), and Regular Joe (dir. Harold Cronk, 2025). Victimization Complex films portray Christianity through the lens of Ur-Facism as outlined by Umberto Eco: common-sense, historical, nationalistic, and under siege from enemies who are paradoxically incredibly powerful and weak. This genre in particular is worth analysis due to how its hateful rhetoric has fed into far right extremism.
While it is tempting (and not always without merit) to criticize Christian films on their predictable, sometimes risible storylines, this misses the main appeal of the genre to the target audience. Similar to how grindhouse horror films appeal to nice audiences not for their plot but for their gore, Christian films appeal not based on narrative but based on affect. Only with this understanding can scholars truly begin to combat the genre’s extremist rhetoric found in its more conservative entries.
While it is tempting (and not always without merit) to criticize Christian films on their predictable, sometimes risible storylines, this misses the main appeal of the genre to the target audience. Similar to how grindhouse horror films appeal to nice audiences not for their plot but for their gore, Christian films appeal not based on narrative but based on affect. This essay will build on Linda William's framework of genre affect to conceptualize how Christian films create their own unique affects that appeal to their target audiences. Only with this understanding can scholars truly begin to combat the genre’s extremist rhetoric found in its more conservative entries.