From Now On: A Lent Course on Hope and Redemption in The Greatest Showman

A brilliant new Lent Course for 2019, based on the hugely popular film The Greatest Showman. The 2018 Golden Globe-nominated movie starring Hugh Jackman, about the founder and stars of the Barnum & Bailey Circus is ideal for Lenten study of Christian themes of hope, redemption and new life.

The five-week course offers discussion points, biblical reflections and prayers based on short excerpts from the film. The themes are: (1) ‘A Million Dreams’, exploring what liberation and hope might look like for an ‘outsider’ in the world; (2) ‘Come Alive’, exploring how the family of faith can bring hope and purpose; (3) ‘Rewrite the stars’, asks what forms of resistance can be placed in the way of salvation; (4) ‘Never Enough’, questions the temptations of false fulfilment that can lead us to betrayal; (5) ‘The Greatest Show’, shows how redemption is found when we discover ‘the circus is our home’.

Rachel Mann is an Anglican priest, poet and broadcaster. The author of two books, her memoir of growing up trans, ‘Dazzling Darkness’ was a Church Times bestseller. She is minor canon and resident poet at Manchester Cathedral and is a regular contributor to Radio 2’s Pause For Thought.