This article is the first in a series of articles exploring the philosophy of film writer and director Paul Schrader.
According to IMDB, Paul Schrader’s catalog of films spans 28 writing credits and 28 directing credits, many of which are one and the same. Schrader is an enigmatic person, and one whose religious upbringing has always been intriguing to those who interview him. He famously grew up in a strict Dutch Reformed household in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and never attended a film until he was away at Calvin College. While there have certainly been periods of Schrader’s life where it is questionable what he believes about God and morality, it is clear from his films, interviews, and film criticism that religion has never left his blood. There was a time where he labeled himself an agnostic, but of late he seems to identify as Episcopalian.
Schrader’s films do not generally garner the attention of theologically conservative Christians. They often incorporate some form of…
