les Misersbles and the Gospel
Depiction of the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. Photograph of stained glass window at Scots' Church, Melbourne (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Author: Think Christian. Les Miserables, which won the Golden Globe for Best Musical or Comedy earlier this week, is easily the most explicitly religious movie I've seen in a long time. Characters speak of Lucifer's fall, the never-ending road to Calvary, beggars at the feast and many other Biblical references. More generally, the conflict between the two main characters - Jean Valjean and Javert - resembles a problem central to Christian morality : the tension between mercy and the law. The movie begins with the parole of Jean Valjean ( Hugh Jackman ), a laborer who once stole a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving children. Even after serving 19 years, Valjean is informed by police inspector Javert ( Russell Crowe ) that he is not really free. He is branded a thief and an ex-convict, preventing him from finding...