The Bishop’s Wife (1947), starring Cary Grant, David Niven, and Loretta Young, is not only one of the best Christmas movies of all time, it is one of the richest in terms of theology. It is one movie I try to watch every Christmas season, along with A Christmas Carol, and of course, Christmas Vacation (“Clarke that’s the gift that keeps on giving all year round.”)
The plot of The Bishop’s Wife
If you have not seen The Bishop’s Wife (no spoiler alert here), the plot is fairly simple.
The bishop, Henry (David Niven), is trying to raise money to build a cathedral. He is not making much progress and is clashing with the very wealthy Mrs. Hamilton, who is insisting on a prominent shrine in the cathedral to her late husband as a condition for her very substantial contribution. Under the pressures of ministry and building the cathedral, Henry has neglected his wife (Loretta Young) and their daughter.
Henry prays for guidance regarding the cathedral, and an angel named Dudley (Cary Grant) appears in response to his prayer. Henry doesn’t believe Cary Grant is an angel at first, but he reluctantly accepts his help.
The rest of the movie is about how that help is manifested. This is where The Bishop’s Wife shines theologically.
The theological thread in the movie
One of the themes in the movie is that it is not through institutions that Jesus transforms the world but through people who become a conduit for His grace. Dudley is just that for every person he comes in contact with throughout the movie.
By explaining to the professor the unknown history of an ancient Roman coin, the professor is inspired to finally start writing his long overdue history book. By helping Henry’s daughter throw a snowball, Dudley gets her accepted into the group of kids who previously rejected her. In ministering to Mrs. Hamilton, Dudley uncovers the root of her misguided insistence on making the cathedral a monument to her late husband. And lastly, Dudley helps Henry see the importance of his family and his relationships, which he had neglected in favor of a building.
Denominations exist as institutions, but Jesus’ Church–the earthly manifestation His body–exists in and through those who follow Him. In The Bishop’s Wife, the institutional church was interested in erecting a building, but God is interested in transforming people. In The Bishop’s Wife, we see this transformation happen through Dudley and the brief but powerful touches he has in each person’s life.
The Kingdom grows as Jesus transforms the world one life at a time. We should see daily interactions as opportunities to convey God’s grace. It is that leavening grace that transforms the world into the place God intended it to be. The Bishop’s Wife gives us a glimpse of what that world could be like if only we could all be a bit more like Dudley.
Why the angel was named “Dudley”
“Dudley” — It’s not a name that convey’s authority like Michael or Gabriel. It is an ordinary name, disarming and inviting, just as Cary Grant portrays him in the movie. Why? Because it is not authority that advances the kingdom of God but humble people making themselves useful conduits of God’s grace in their daily relationships.
The Bishop’s Wife is a Christmas classic, but it is also instructive as a how-to manual for citizens of the kingdom of God. If you’ve never seen it, I highly recommend it. GS
