Silence

Silence. According to tired parents, librarians, and corporations accused of using child labor, it’s golden, and you’ve probably agreed at one point or another in your life when the noise just gets overwhelming. For Christians facing torture and execution in Japan during the Tokugawa period, however, God’s apparent devotion to the sanctity of keeping a lid on it probably wore a little thin. How do you deal with unanswered prayers, then, or the creeping notion that God is indifferent in the face of human suffering? These are the questions at the heart of Silence, a 2016 film directed by Martin Scorsese based on the book of the same name. Silence follows a pair of Jesuit priests searching for their lost mentor as they contend with theological crises, a frightened and endangered population, and an inquisitor so ruthless and cold blooded he makes Darth Vader look like an overbearing hall monitor. Silence didn’t exactly set the world on fire on release, but its incredible visuals, compelling story, and engaging themes ensure that most people who watch it come away thinking it’s something special, and that’s exactly the opinion of the Magellans at the Movies. Join us, then, as we talk about this slow-burning bit of faith film and why we like it so much. Give us this day our daily podcast, let’s go!