Actor Liam Neeson recently discussed his beliefs about God and how they were impacted by his role in the film "Silence."
"Silence" tells the story of two Jesuit priests who travel to Japan in the 17th century to find one of their missing colleagues, Fr. Ferreira, played by Neeson. Neeson’s character ultimately ends up recanting his faith after being tortured by the Japanese, but Neeson says the character still "believed that Christ would work through him and this gave him the freedom to learn the language and to serve the people in other ways that were meaningful."
Neeson went on to say, according to ChristianToday.com, that "I think Ferreira's idea of God was ultimately one of love, but this is what I choose to believe myself."
"God is love, love is God. I have had personal experiences of God's love, beautiful and calming, all the things the Psalms talk about. If he was a stern master, well, I don't know," he told Patheos in an interview.
Andrew Garfield, the actor who plays one of the two priests searching for Ferreira, also shared how his role in the film impacted his faith.
"What was really easy was falling in love with this person, was falling in love with Jesus Christ. That was the most surprising thing," Garfield said. "God! That was the most remarkable thing—falling in love, and how easy it was to fall in love with Jesus."
Garfield and fellow actor Adam Driver, who plays Garfield’s colleague in the film, prepared for their roles by spending some time at a Jesuit monastery where they were instructed by a real priest and focused on praying and meditating on Scripture.
Photo courtesy: flickr.com
Publication date: February 1, 2017
