Though we shouldn’t look to pop culture for answers to life’s questions, the reality is many do, and it’s enjoyable to see media wrestle with the issues and occasionally take it to the mat for a few seconds of sheer genius. I wrote on this for biblical manhood last month, but as I just used a wrestling metaphor then, this time I intend to talk about biblical womanhood, so I thought it wise to consult my incredible suitable helper, my wife Kat, as we sifted the examples of women in recent books and movies.

Sadly, no matter what worldview lenses you wear, most everyone agrees that shining examples of women are few and far between. One friend mentioned our struggle to find candidates is due to the fact that women in film and television are often polarized in their portrayal as either “shrews” or “sluts.” (And while I don’t appreciate the latter word, it is a sad and accurate commentary). Despite cultural curveballs, however, we did discover some narrative notes where women in modern tales learn, inhabit, and demonstrate a more biblical vision of why God made woman.

Married to marriage: Evelyn in Salt

So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. – Matthew 19:6

While television and movies will often depict an agency man with ruined relationships or marriage because job or country came first, Evelyn Salt seasons things differently depicting a woman who sees every other earthly relationship – nationality, former family, patriotism, friends, Americana – as secondary to the primary love of her husband. The truly relentless affection she displays in the first half of the film is truly breathtaking … but that’s not to say the second half doesn’t hold some surprises.

Challenging without nagging: Ariadne in Inception

It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman. – Proverbs 21:19

Brought in to assist Cobb’s character deal with what is literally a mind-bending plan, Ariadne is a woman who listens, processes, and produces wise counsel. She submits to Cobb’s position as leader of the team yet isn’t afraid to question and offer advice. Her concerns are genuine. Ariadne even affords Cobb the courtesy of one-on-one conversation and doesn’t call him out publicly in front of the team when he’s being irrational. Ellen Page gets to play a fully formed female character who is calculated and bold, but patient, too, and has the ability to be a strong influencer without being domineering.

Live and let lead: Claire Foster in Date Night

… Let the wife see that she respects her husband. – Ephesians 5:33

In a rare story that lauds marriage and lifts up continued dating as married couples, Tina Fey’s character Claire Foster (at top) looks like a modern day Proverbs 31 woman, managing the home and seeking the good of the family while even extending herself into real estate. However, the role, and her capabilities, have become her identity to the point that romance has dwindled and she no longer lets her husband lead – or fail – in a way that lets him serve, struggle and grow in his role as husband and father. As a comedy of errors leads them on a night of near-death and comic circumstances, a pivotal conversation reminds her of this and refreshes their marriage. While they still lack a saving understanding of how marriage is formed to mirror Jesus and the church, Claire and her husband may be starting to resonate at that frequency.

Mother with moxie: Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side

I was a stranger and you welcomed me. – Matthew 25

Based loosely on the true story, this Christian woman who literally takes in a stranger doesn’t just go the extra mile, she winds up feeding, clothing, protecting, and adopting a young man in need. Sandra Bullock was initially reluctant to play a devout Christian, but wound up winning an Academy Award for the role. While I won’t dismiss her acting prowess, I think the biblical magnitude of the source material surely fed the potency of her performance.

I want to thank my own wonderful wife, Kat, for her insight into these examples of biblical womanhood. I’d also recommend checking out her examination of the problem with chick flicks in this discussion on romanticism.

Pastor James, Mars Hill’s resident film and culture critic, is a regional executive pastor out of the Shoreline campus. Read more of his film commentary on his blog, cinemagogue.