Questioning Faith: Confessions of a Seminarian (2002) User Reviews

Misnomer

[MikeyB1793 · 7/10 · 2 August 2009]

The title of this documentary is somewhat of a misnomer; it deals more with illness than with questions of faith. Perhaps it deals with faith during illness more than anything.

Nevertheless tit has a very human quality that makes it compelling to watch.

The maker of the documentary is studying at a seminary to become a minister. A close friend of his died of AIDS and he is trying to coming to grips with this and his faith in God. He is a companion to a people at a hospital that have different illnesses. To the films credit it deals with a variety of faiths – Christian, Moslem, Buddhism and one individual of no faith. He questions how these individuals cope with their suffering and how they attempt to endure. He is trying to reconcile his view of God with suffering. I don't really feel this is all there is to questioning faith or a view of God. He mentions that his family background is religious – his parents were church ministers. Is he just becoming a minister become it is hereditary?

Suffering permeates the world in other forms like injustice, exploitation of the environment… Anyway there are some wider theological arguments that were not discussed. 'Religulous' by Bill Maher explored more aspects than this film.

If you are undergoing an illness or are close to someone undergoing medical treatment this film may not be for you.

A bit disappointing

[Escapement · 17 May 2004]

'Questioning Faith: Confessions of a Seminarian' plays like a high school video project. Though there are some interesting characters, unfortunately, the filmmaker/ narrator, isn't one of them. He spends most of the film asking questions you'd expect to hear from a six-year-old, yet he's a seminarian, (as he reminds us many times throughout the film).

The documentary centers on the filmmaker's crisis of faith: why does a loving God allow bad things to happen? But the subtext of the film appears to be driven by his obvious sense of guilt at not being there for Alan Smith, a very good friend of his who died of AIDS. (And his excuses for this are just too pathetically trite: 1) I was so busy, 2) I didn't think he was going to die so soon, and 3) (the ubiquitous biggy) it made me think about my own mortality).

The following scene pretty much sums up the film for me: in a memorial for Alan, near the end of the film, the filmmaker is asked to preach the sermon.

He begins by saying something like, I want first to point to a window over there, uh, well, you can't really see it from here, it's on the other side of the building, but that's where I lived with Alan… That's sort of what the film is like: he's pointing to something, but not really showing anything.

Unfortunately, the filmmaker's problem with God just isn't very interesting.

Why God allows bad things to happen and people to suffer is an age-old question that this film doesn't bring us any closer to understanding. And as for his crisis of faith, Oscar Wilde said it best, 'Skepticism is the beginning of Faith.'

Loved it - was changed by watching it

[mackyals · 10/10 · 22 February 2007]

I found this film extraordinary and so human. Rarely is faith treated in such a real, gritty, nuanced way in which respect for a wide range of beliefs (and non-belief) are honored. Congratulations to all who made it and thanks for this rare and critical contribution to films that explore matters of faith. I just wish it were more widely available! If anyone knows of other films this good on faith - please post their titles. It is so interesting to that this film was made so recently after 9/11. Rarely are Muslims treated these days with such respect. And how sad that Annie Powell (what a hero!) died. What a life!

This challenging and ambitious examination of faith is a must see film

[admccrea-1 · 9/10 · 25 February 2007]

Questioning Faith is a cinematic spiritual journey of Macky Alston and his circle of friends. As Alston explores a wide and diverse range of spiritual beliefs ranging from Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Atheist, and Jewish holocaust survivor, the film illustrates similarities rather than differences in individuals who are dealing with their own personal tragedies. Questioning Faith is an emotional and spiritual roller coaster that poses more questions than answers. As Macky deals with his own faith and struggles, I found myself questioning my life experiences and spiritual beliefs. This challenging and ambitious examination of faith is a must see film.

Great Film!

[adrienne-b · 10/10 · 11 March 2007]

'Questioning Faith' was an emotionally stirring, thought provoking journey that truly does ask the viewer to question their personal faith in God. Being raised as a Catholic, all of the rituals that the film took us through seemed very familiar, until we are asked to do the unthinkable, question everything. Not a traditional film, but a different perspective that asks us to have empathy by examining the fundamental edict that we and our fathers were taught. It is easy to see ourselves in this position as the characters seem very real, not the usual Hollywood synthetic version of humanity. You should watch this film, regardless of your religious dogmas, as it attempts to speak to the very essence of our beliefs as compassionate beings.

relevant and moving film

[Zanetis · 10/10 · 23 February 2007]

Questioing Faith is a film that has to be relevant to the ordinary Christian's life for so many reasons.So many of the questions and doubts that we all experience on a daily basis are touched upon in this film and we are exposed to the way that someone else deals with these same doubts and questions about life and death.One cannot help but draw many relevant comparisons between the author's questions and those we experience as we move thru our own lives.It is a very straightforward approach and this may be too hard or perhaps honest of an approach for many,but I found this approach to be completely comfortable.I do not understand how this movie and it's direct approach to so many questions we all ask of our faith everyday cannot be a useful and enlightening tool for anyone that watches and understands the film.If more films were this direct and relevant I would rejoice!