Give Me Peace,Give Me Peace,Give Me Peace: Using Film as a Tool for the Study of Comparative Religious Experience

The purpose of this article is to explore the value of film for illustrating two contrasting views of the religious experience. Using two of my favorite films (Pi and The Apostle), I outline the contemplative and the existential visions of the religious experience, and I proceed to show how I have used these films in my courses. Centering predominately on the Jewish and Christian traditions, figures mentioned throughout include Soren Kierkegaard, Meister Eckhart, and Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav.