Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Silence of the Lambs analysis - part 57: Augustine on movement of the Holy Spirit

CATEGORY: MOVIES

In the previous post, we began to discuss the importance of bodies of water in the movie. In the Confessions, Augustine speaks of the Holy Spirit 'moving over' the waters at the beginning of creation, as told in the biblical book of Genesis. From Book 13 of the Confessions (Outler translation):

[13.5] "See now, how the trinity appears to me in an enigma. And you are the trinity, my god, since you, father - in the beginning of our wisdom, that is, in your wisdom born of you, equal and coeternal with you, that is, your son - created the heaven and the earth...And now I came to recognize, in the name of god, the father who made all these things, and in the term 'the beginning' to recognize the son through which he made all these things; and since I did believe that my god was the trinity, I sought still further in his holy word, and, behold, 'your spirit moved over the waters.' Thus, see the trinity, my god: father, son, and holy spirit, the creator of all creation!"











Recall that Clarice Starling's green clothing in certain scenes, indicates that she represents the 'presence' of the Holy Spirit.



The Confessions of Saint Augustine (Outler)


      





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