Episode 43: What Is Good Theology? (And Why It’s More Than Doctrine)

What is good theology — and why is it always more than doctrine?

In this episode of Cinematic Scripture, we explore why theology that stays in the head never transforms the heart — and why Jesus, Scripture, and even film insist that theology must be embodied. Through stories like Les Misérables, 12 Angry Men, Shawshank Redemption, and Parasite, we’ll see how mercy, justice, hope, and truth are not abstract ideas but lived realities. We’ll name the lie many of us inherited (“theology is just doctrine”), confront the tension of doctrine without love, and walk through four markers of good theology: listening, community, obedience, and cruciform love. We’ll also face the resistance that rises when theology becomes costly — the comfort of correctness, the fear of vulnerability, and the temptation of abstraction.

By the end, you’ll see why good theology always moves toward love, why Jesus embodies truth rather than merely teaching it, and how film can help us recognize the story beneath every story.

If you’re longing for a faith that feels coherent, embodied, and alive — this episode is for you.

Want to go deeper? Join See the Story: A 5‑Day Awakening — a live experience where you’ll learn a simple 3‑step lens for seeing the Gospel everywhere.

Learn more at cinematicscripture.com.