Negotiating Theological Meaning in Contemporary Film

This paper examines how contemporary films function as social constructs that shape theological meaning-making and moral identity among young Christian viewers. Drawing on Ignatian-inspired film theology (Pungente and Williams), narrative theory, and Catholic moral reflection on cinema, the author argues that films, even when not explicitly religious, can mediate encounters with Gospel values of love, justice, and hope, while also risking the normalization of vice and the deception of audiences, as illustrated by the controversial film Conclave. The paper calls for a media literacy rooted in faith formation that equips young viewers to critically and theologically "negotiate meaning" in film, discerning authentic glimpses of salvation from morally ambiguous or manipulative portrayals, so that engagement with cinema strengthens rather than erodes the sensus fidei.