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This summer, Pope Leo XIV announced that St. John Henry Newman would soon be proclaimed a Doctor of the Church, prompting reflections on a recent film, The Life of Chuck, an adaptation of a Stephen King novella. The story follows Chuck Krantz, an accountant who dies at 39, leading an unremarkable life that few noticed during his time. The film explores his journey of learning to live, particularly through dance, which brings joy and color to his otherwise monotonous existence. Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of Chuck highlights dance as a poignant, ecstatic moment in his life, even amidst his terminal diagnoses and despair.
The film resonates with theological themes, suggesting that creation exists for moments of joy, akin to the concept of perichoresis found in Trinitarian theology, which likens the relationship of the Trinity to a dance of love and intimacy. Newman’s work emphasizes the gravity of sin, positing that even a minor transgression is worse than the world’s greatest calamities. A counterpoint to this is the intrinsic value of a single act of goodness, implying that moments of charity or beauty may outweigh the entire material universe.
The essay concludes with a reflection on the purpose of creation, suggesting it might exist for the divine joy of dance amidst life’s struggles, urging us to embrace joy before mourning takes hold. Ultimately, it posits that mortal experiences like dance can connect us to the divine, echoing Newman’s profound theological insights.
Read this related Trek here:
Newman and the Joy of the Dance
