Gentle reader calus the great informs us that the long-awaited film version of Shusaku Endo's masterpiece Silence, is finally underway.
We urge, encourage and admonish every gentle reader who has not read the novel, which SWNID nominates as the most important piece of Christian fiction of the 20th century (sorry, Lewis fans, I love every word that he wrote, but Silence is without peer), to read it soon so that the movie doesn't spoil it for you.
Martin Scorsese bought the option for Silence years ago. It appears that the success of other faith-films has at last produced financing for the project.
Silence is the story of a Portuguese Jesuit missionary to Japan in the 17th century. Longing for the fame of martyrdom, he goes to Japan to minister to its outlaw Roman Catholic community, whose live under constant threat of terrible torture and death. The novel is a profound meditation on human pride, the nature of grace, and the consequent nature of genuine Christian witness.
Endo, himself a Japanese Roman Catholic, reflected upon elements of Christian faith in all his novels. He writes with a distinct voice and a disturbing eye.
Too few American Christians have read Endo. It's time to correct that.
3 comments:
I've got chills just thinking about this movie. Let's hope they make the Samaria as well.
Hmmmm, a Japanese movie about the northern region of Israel?
Fantastic novel. I had to read it as a CCU student, but fell in love with Endo's tale contained within. I need to re-read the novel before I see the movie.
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