12 Movies You May Not Realize Had Christian Themes

Hollywood isn't regarded as a place where being open about your faith in God is widely accepted, but there are several notable films with Christian themes that you may know. It's not that Christianity must be placed on a backburner once an actor gets their SAG card, but typically, a film with a biblical slant is considered a "Christian movie."

It's not necessarily intentional, but that label tends to silo the audience and marketing efforts instead of being known as a "movie with Christian themes."

That may be why a few of these movies struck a familiar chord but didn't become fodder for Sunday school. True stories are direct recollections of someone's life journey, and if it includes a holy conversion or a centric journey with God, that's part of the story (e.g., Chariots of Fire, A Hidden Life, Ben-Hur, The Hiding Place, The Mission, Silence).

These are films where the Gospel message is delivered as subterfuge, intended for the masses or not. Like Easter Eggs, the Bible and divine principles are found if you search hard enough. And for some, all you need to do is trip over one, and Jesus is lying there staring back at you. See if you have the epiphany or confirmation about these popular movies.

Here are 12 movies with Christian themes you may not have seen or realized immediately.

12. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (2005)

The relationship between J.R.R. Tolkien, creator of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and C.S. Lewis, creator of The Chronicles of Narnia, is well documented. They inspired each other's creative juices and helped the editorial vision for each fantasy world. Yet, one is considered to have followed the other to Middle Earth.

Actually, it's the opposite. C.S. Lewis, author of the perennial Christian best-seller "Mere Christianity," fully intended Narnia to be an archetype of heaven, with one exception. Narnia is a kingdom oppressed by evil rulers until the King returns in all his glory. A character even betrays the king (Judas) before he can create a sacrifice (Calvary). It's a beautiful story that deserves much better from Hollywood.

11. Inception (2010)

This is one of the most spellbinding movies ever made—It is Christopher Nolan's fascinating epic of the real police. The movie centers around Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), a fugitive given a Willy Wonka golden ticket to break into someone else's dream to plant an idea to clean his record.

What in heaven lists this film among those with Christian themes? There are a few things. For instance, Cobb's relationship and his desire to find forgiveness for his sin. His past must be confessed for him to be redeemed. The almost divine relationship between a father and son is core to the film's theme. Then, there's this need to reunite a family in a heavenly garden. No, his name isn't Adam, but does it sound familiar?

10. Doctor Strange (2016)

Before we delve into the Sorcerer Supreme, examine the director. Scott Derrickson is one of those people in Hollywood who is also a Christian. Yes, he is. The director of well-known horror flicks The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Deliver Us from Evil, and Sinister once wrote a "Christianity Today" article. It's clear his faith is both an inspiration for him and a personal insurrection. In a "Relevant" article promoting Doctor Strange, Derrickson had a slight Gandhi feel: "In America, we Christians are not the solution. We are the core problem."

Look at the core conflict with a surgeon who scoffs at the idea of faith until his superpower (his hands, thanks to a nasty car wreck) is taken away. He discovers the actual healing he requires begins within. His epiphany relies on sacrifice, not strength. That is genuinely a Christian's journey.

9. Gravity (2013)

Gravity is an underrated sci-fi movie, if there was ever one. It flirts with Christian themes but allows viewers to draw conclusions. We meet Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock), who is floating in space, grieving the death of her daughter. She's empty inside and admits to veteran spacewalker Matthew Kowalski (George Clooney), "I've never said a prayer in my life."

Alfonso Cuaron is a magician and a director; this film is no exception. Stone's journey goes from what could easily be assumed as an atheist to encountering what it means to have some sacrifice of life when you feel completely unworthy. That's the summary of how Kowalski enters and leaves her life, but she is left with the dying memory of her daughter and the living memory of her friend. Jesus fills the void, even through people we hardly know.

8. Tender Mercies (1983)

The movie is archetypical fodder from a Western song--country music singer, downtrodden since divorce, drinks like a fish, and prefers to be alone. Then, former superstar Mac Sledge (Robert Melvin) meets a Vietnam widow named Rose Lee (Tess Harper) at her dumpy motel. You would expect a few other familiar tropes to impede progress in the film (e.g., a dog gets hit by a truck, 'Murica), but it opens to a meaningful journey of redemption and recovery.

The Academy Award-winning movie--Actor, Screenplay, Director, Picture--also follows a couple of Christian themes. Sledge faces death and considers renewing his life. He is then forced to evaluate the importance of family in his life. Additionally, "tender mercies" are familiar to Christians in Psalms 25:6 and 40:11.

7. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, the seminal Christmas viewing necessity walks a faith-based line centered around an angel. Yet, it's George Bailey's (Stewart) journey about the reality of the angel and the purpose "Clarence" (Henry Travers) serves in the greater scheme of things.

If anyone gets down, they may be inclined to consider what life would have been like if they'd never been born. They wonder if God cares to listen. They question how their emotions do them any good. George Bailey is led through that depressing situation, waking him into a refreshed world of faith. You would think a Christmas movie would have an overtly Christian theme, but this was a note of sovereignty that was deep for its day.

6. The Lord of the Rings (2001-2024)

Although the more notable Christian wrote Narnia, there are more compelling Christian themes in the JRR Tolkien saga of Middle Earth. It's no secret the longer someone surrounds themselves with sin, the harder it is to flee from it. Such is life with the ring. The longer someone wears it, the stronger Sauron's hold on your soul. The saga concerns good versus evil, snakes versus angels (or heavenly elves), and the impetus of faith, hope, and love.

Sin can be highly tempting, but it takes realizing the joys of life to deny its power. Moreover, Lord of the Rings details the significance of humanity after a fall from grace or suffering outside of human will. If that's not convincing, note how many references there are between Frodo and "The Lord's Prayer." Uncanny.

5. Lilies of the Field (1963)

This is a magnificent Oscar-winning film starring Best Actor Sidney Poitier—the first Black man in Hollywood to be honored. The adapted story, originally from William Edmund Barrett, tells the story of German Benedictine nuns sent to America's south (in the 1960s) in need of a church.

Enlisted Army Soldier Homer Smith (Poitier) meets them and shares a message of good news and Protestant worship while building their church out of a dilapidated farm. Reverend Mother Maria (Lilia Skala) believes "Schmidt," as she calls him, was sent by God. While the message isn't as overt as its synopsis, the story's attachment is directly connected to evangelizing the Gospel.

4. Blade Runner (1982)

Forgive the pun, but this seminal tale by Ridley Scott is holy ground in the sci-fi world. It very well could have been with all the Christian themes that run through replicants in this dystopian universe, like body odor on an athlete.

The film is about humanity's grueling trek, but the idea that "love conquers all" has a particular 1 Corinthians flair. If you haven't seen it, the movie's crux is the replicant, a bioengineered humanoid set to embed into humanity. They are indistinguishable from any human except for their ability to experience or emanate pure love.

The "rain scene," pictured above, is dripping (pun intended) with Christ-like grace as Batty (Rutger Hauer) speaks about reaching the heavens beyond this mortal coil. Only love can encourage us to take this journey.

3. Superman (1978)

Name any version you want; they all have Jesus in common. It all began with Richard Donner (director) and Christopher Reeve (Supes) in film, but Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were co-creators of Kal-El. They have shared many times that the savior of humanity from another world was created to defy Hitler and Nazism. This conversation stems from a 1940 article the duo gave, "How Superman Would End the War."

A baby in a foreign land who grew up around the very people he was destined to save. The voice of his father also guides Superman. He was vilified and then lionized because people, much like his mother, realized that they needed a Savior. By the way, Kal-El is the hero's name. He was from the House of "El," which in Hebrew means "God."

Christian themes notwithstanding, maybe he was the Mensch of Steel?

2. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Steven Spielberg isn't known as a Christian director, yet he can't help himself with Christian themes. "Raiders of the Lost...what, again?! That's the Ark of the Covenant. And let's not forget the Last Crusade. Although Close Encounters of the Third Kind has a catchy tune and cool spaceships, it had a "special mission" that involved "going to the mountain."

Then, we have E.T. about an alien, someone from out of town. It turns out he's a messenger of peace, can heal others, and is hunted by haters who later kill him, but the power of love brings him back from the dead. C'mon! He was much shorter and more rotund than the Son of God, but the parallels can't be denied.

1. The Matrix (1999)

If The Matrix tetralogy were any more rife with biblical references, it would pass for King of Kings. The imagery and connections between Mr. Anderson and Mr. Jesus are irrefutable. For a nerd blog that celebrates Christian themes, this is genuinely a NEO seed...eh, ONE seed. (Yes, that is a transparent anagram in the film.)

• We've already exhausted his hacker nom de guerre and obvious anagram.

• He was brought into a foreign land doomed to hell to save humanity and get them to "Zion."

• Neo is dead but later is resurrected and brought back to life to rise and continue his mission.

• He was the deliverer of salvation for all lost...in the Matrix.

• His girlfriend is named Trinity, and they see "The Oracle" (Good Morning, Holy Spirit).

• Choi and Cypher allude to Christ. When Choi gets his hacked disc, he says, "Hallelujah. You're my savior, man. My own personal Jesus Christ."

The movie—the actual film—was released on the long Easter weekend of 1999 as if we needed GPS to connect all of these sacred dots.