Movies have the capacity to connect with the deepest desires of our hearts and often give us new ways to go about the business of being alive. Movies, in other words, can be sacred, and watching movies can be a spiritual act. This book approaches movie watching as a spiritual practice, similar to visio/lectio divina, reflecting on how movies shape our lives and developing a model of watching movies with sacred attention. Inspired by visio divina, this book develops a model of movie watching as a spiritual practice (cinema divina). Readers will find that nearly any film can become a way to encounter God, when approached with sacred attention and openness to the guidance of the Spirit.

John Dougherty is a film critic, retreat leader, and writer whose work explores the intersection of faith, culture, and storytelling. With his expertise in contemplative approaches to film and media, he is a frequent contributor to America, where he writes the Catholic Movie Club column, National Catholic Reporter, and Ignatian Solidarity Network.