Date

9-17-2026

Department

College of Arts and Sciences

Degree

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)

Chair

Timothy Christian

Keywords

Faith-Based, Authentic, Cinema, Dallas Jenkins, Kendrick Brothers, Erwin Brothers, The Chosen, I Can Only Imagine, I Still Believe, The Passion of the Christ, Rotten Tomatoes, CinemaScore, Ben-Hur, The Ten Commandments, House of David, Kingdom Story Company, Wonder Project, Soul on Fire.

Disciplines

Christianity | Creative Writing

Abstract

Screenwriting like any other form of writing is an art of storytelling. It is set apart from other forms of writing because an audience can experience the story come to life on screen. What makes for good, beautiful, and true as it relates to good screenwriting is the writer’s ability to not only weave a story together uniquely in a way that engages and connects the audience but doing so in a way that gives them something to discuss long after the film is over. I aim to do this in my own screenplay Forged in the Fire. As a reader and viewer, I expect this from those whose works I choose to experience whether reading or watching on the big screen.

There are filmmakers in the faith-based genre who have been accomplishing just that albeit in a way that is unique to their target audience. Faith-based movies have been making waves in the film industry since the release of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. Movies with a message of faith have evolved in the last twenty years, becoming less “preachy” or cheesy with higher quality of writing and acting. Hollywood has noticed the shift toward uplifting messages that the audience are showing they want to see. Fiona Murphy of Interfaith America stated, “Religion portrayed in contemporary American entertainment isn’t turning people away, but research suggests it may be a key factor in some television shows’ and movies’ appeal, regardless of religious backgrounds or political affiliations,” (2026). A study conducted by market research company Harris X found, 92% of the viewers were receptive to faith-based content portrayed in their entertainment (Murphy 2026). The most receptive of those viewers were the agnostic or atheists who said they felt a deep connection to the TV and movie scenes that portrayed faith, (Murphy 2026). The evolution of faith-based cinema is now reaching a wider audience beyond the traditional Christian viewership due to relatable characters and the portrayal of struggles of everyday life demonstrating faith in an authentic way.

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