Biblical Interpretation· 2026Q2
Seeing the Word: The Art of Screening Jesus’s Gestures
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- Q2SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Jesus films utilize manual gestures, evolving from art to screen, to convey emotion, theological messages, and character development, as seen in iconic films from 1912 to 2006.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Jesus films employ manual gestures, drawing from art history, to convey meaning.
- Concepts from gesture studies (fields, phrases, units) are applied to analyze filmic gestures.
- Specific gestures like open palms and pointing communicate emotions and theological messages.
- Gestural estrangement and cultural specificity are evident in different Jesus film portrayals.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract This article explores the use of gesture in Jesus films. It particularly focuses on manual gestures and their evolution from the world of art into on-screen motions. Key facets of gesture studies such as gesture fields, phrases, and units are introduced, and detailed examinations from a range of Hollywood films are presented. These include showcasing the various emotions conveyed by open palms and indexical pointing in From the Manger to the Cross (1912) and Intolerance (1916), the importance of deictic gestures for character development and theological messaging in The King of Kings (1927) and Jesus Christ Super Star (1973), the unsettling gestural estrangement in King of Kings (1961) and The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), and the culturally specific nature of emblem gestures in Son of Man (2006). Thus, this study demonstrates how understanding the contextually bound nature and iconographic inheritance of gestures help to interpret the word in motion.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Biblical Interpretation, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Visual Arts and Performing ArtsArts and Humanities