Gauvin Bailey’s “The New Plant of the Primitive Church” provided me insights into how theology and history can be revealed and conveyed through plants and gardens, which are objects that I rarely relate to telling stories. I could see a link between Christian beliefs and nature so that the two can be connected in artwork and literature to spread information and historical content. While the title exclusively stresses “Primitive Church,” I believe it is important to note that such connections among history, culture, and natural objects can be applied to a more general context instead of only Christianity.
I think one thing in the movie The Mission that I notice is that paintings, sculptures, and architectures are ways for people to communicate even without knowing each other’s languages. This did not change my previous idea but brought it to my attention. Although the movie specifically tells how Christianity is spread among people, I think the idea that both visual and performing art creates opportunities for people to connect with each other in a broader sense (not limited to theology) is a much greater implication that I got from the movie.
Lastly, the film, as a form of visual art my understanding, can be used to spread ideas among people with different cultural or historical backgrounds. As such, even though I am not Christian, I learn about Christianity and its stories through this film. By watching the film together, people can exchange ideas and even debate different opinions to reach a better conclusion about particular humanities topics.