The Sisterhood of St. Joan

It is difficult to balance contemplation and action in life. Society greatly values action, lifting high the Type A sorts who are bundles of energy and constantly hustle to get things done. Those who are slow to act and slow to speak are seen in a lesser light, due to their thoughtful, calculated approach. These differing types are portrayed as such on the silver screen, often depicting the charismatic do-ers as the true leaders and the contemplative thinkers as the followers. Interestingly enough, in the real-life person of St. Joan of Arc, we find someone who is both thinking and doing. Here we see a balance of these seeming opposites: a warrior who led military battles and a mystic who saw visions and heard God's voice. While popular culture is fascinated with St. Joan of Arc—more than most other saints—it has failed to capture this tension of action and contemplation at the heart of her character. To manage this tension, popular culture has created a sisterhood of characters based on shared concerns of saving the world. Some characters lean more toward the mystic and others lean more toward the warrior. Three films in particular—The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, Resurrection, and Alien/s/3—give us powerful examples of this sisterhood of St. Joan of Arc.