
Christopher Nolan, Christianity, the Bible, Faith and Cinema
βThe Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for manyβ (Matthew 20:28).
When film historians adjudicate the principal directors and screenwriters of our time, Christopher Nolanβs name will be in the top ten. Known for The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005β2012), Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), Dunkirk (2017) and Tenet (2020), amongst others, this filmmaker submits deep questions about the nature of the soul in blockbuster films.
Nolan is a writer and director who flirts with Christian themes in his movies, delving into biblical concepts, mining rich theological terrain for cinematic exploration. He addresses questions about the nature of reality, the essence of time, the metaphysics of consciousness and the subconscious, all without directly addressing the question of God. His films allude to the questions of good and evil, and his characters are motivated by sacrificial love and the mystery of faith.
βThe influence of Christianity on my films is mostly cultural, in terms of my upbringing, I was raised a Catholic,β said Christopher Nolan. βA lot of the cultural potsherds, a lot of my education, Christianity and the ideas of Christianity flowed around in that.β
Writerβs Block Presents, Christopher Nolan on Christianity in his films, 26 December 2020
In Interstellar, Nolan articulates his thoughts on love through Dr Brand, βListen to me when I say that love isnβt something we invented, itβs observable and powerful, it has to mean somethingβ¦maybe it means something more, something we canβt yet understand. Maybe itβs some evidence, some artefact of a higher dimension that we canβt consciously perceive. Love is the one thing weβre capable of perceiving that transcends dimensions of time and space.β These thoughts are theological in nature. The Bible declares God is eternal love and says, βLove never failsβ¦and now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is loveβ (1 Corinthians 13:8, 13, 1 John 4:8)
Speaking of the principal character in his film Tenet, Nolan suggests he needed βto have faith and the title of the film has thatβ¦some degree of selflessness and spirituality to this character.β
Writerβs Block Presents, Christopher Nolan on Christianity in his films, 26 December 2020
Most of Nolanβs films need several views to comprehend the scale of the undertaking. In the time-reversal film Tenet, Nolan tussles to reconcile biblical themes of predestination and free will. He attempts to look at events on earth from an eternal perspective, as one outside of time, seeing the past and present. The main character, called the Protagonists, engages in a confusing and mind-bending fight with himself, as he passed back through time. That sounds like death to self.
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it
– Jesus, Luke 9:24
Nolanβs plots hang on characters willing to sacrifice self, be misunderstood and endure death for others. Thatβs a Christ-like mission. In Dunkirk, Mark Rylance, as Mr Dawson, declares his crew heading into danger to rescue soldiers must do their duty to serve, even if it means facing death. In Interstellar, Matthew McConaugheyβs character, Joseph Cooper, warns that the only evil in space is what we take with us. Thatβs that fall of man.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
– Romans 3:23.
The epic space movie Interstellar is also set to a religiously themed soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, developed on the organ at Londonβs Temple Church. When you enter the church, the first thing that strikes you is the Templar casts on the floor and their challenge to live for eternity. Christopher Nolan spoke of his desire for the soundtrack, saying:
βI also made the case very strongly for some feeling of religiosity to it, even though the film isnβt religious. But that the organ, the architecture, the cathedrals and all the rest, they represent mankindβs attempt to portray the mystical or the metaphysical, whatβs beyond us, beyond the realm of the every day.β
– Zimmer, Hans/Nolan, Christopher β Interstellar, Temple Church, London, Oct 10, 2015
One of the moving themes of The Dark Knight Trilogy is the willingness of Bruce Wayne and his Batman to embrace underserved public failure and blame for others. At the end of The Dark Knight (2008), Batman takes the chastisement for crimes he didnβt commit, sacrifice himself and his reputation. A child says, βHe didnβt do anything wrong,β and his father says Batman has to run, βbecause heβs the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now.β Itβs ambitious to scrutinise this asseveration without reflection on Christβs mission:
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him
– 2 Corinthians 5:21.
Christopher Nolan is credited with screenwriter David S. Goyer, for the story of Man of Steel (2013). In one scene at the beginning of his mission, Superman asks a priest for guidance, wondering if he should sacrifice his life for the world. In the background is an image of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. Superman says, βIf thereβs a chance I can save earth by turning myself in, shouldnβt I take it?β Compare this to the example of Christ:
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, βO My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You willβ
– Matthew 26:39.
By Paul Backholer. Find out about Paul’s books here.

