Join us Friday, May 23 for the viewing of Conclave, the film about the choosing of a new Pope. We expect it to be about politics, ambition, and calculation among the Princes of the Church, and no surprise there. There are twists and turns in the plot, and there is a surprise ending, but to point that out may be a spoiler if we pay attention from the beginning. The filming is gorgeous and suggestive.
But join us especially to witness the genius of Ralph Fiennes’s performance as Cardinal Lawrence, Dean of the College of Cardinals, who bears the responsibility of overseeing the Conclave. Fiennes makes us feel the anguish and doubts of Cardinal Lawrence, his grief over the death of his beloved leader, and his doubts— “and it is doubt, rather than faith that is the engine driving this film” (from one review)—summed up in Cardinal Lawrence’s confession after he has read the charge to the Convocation:
“.... let me tell you that the one sin I have come to fear more than any other is certainty. Certainty is the great enemy of unity. Certainty is the deadly enemy of tolerance. Even Christ was not certain at the end........Our faith is a living thing precisely because it walks hand in hand with doubt. If there was only certainty, and if there was no doubt, there would be no mystery, and therefore no need for faith.”
That thought may have jolted us sometime in the past—Paul Tillich? But it is wonderful to experience it again through this deeply relatable character.
Brought to you by your friends on the Board of Faith and Spiritual Life
Please plan to arrive at about 1:30 to allow time to grab your popcorn and settle in before we start the film at 1:45, and, if your schedule allows, linger for a few minutes after to discuss the film.
