“FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND GOD”

For The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

By Sally Ulrey

Key verses: Psalm 145:9

“The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”

Objective: To reflect on the themes of the movie and how they connect to Christian faith,
particularly our call to love and care for all of God’s creations.
The Set up: Minimal

The Plan:
 Hook: Fantastic Beasts (2 hrs or ~30 mins)
o Watch the movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2 hrs) OR Clips (~30 mins)
 Book: And Where to Find God (15 mins)
o Using some of the themes from the movie, connect them to Scriptures and look at how our
Christian faith calls us to live out many of the same themes
 Look: Discussion (25 mins)
o Discuss where they saw the themes in the movie, in Scripture, and in life
 Took: All Creatures Great and Small (5 mins)
o Reminder to see God reflected in all of creation, and care for it accordingly
o Learn more about Creation Care
The Supplies:
 Copy of lesson
 Copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (and a CVLI license if showing at church)
 White Board/Flip Chart & Markers
 AV Equipment
 Copies of Small Group Discussion Questions
 Copies of Handouts on “Ideas for Further Exploring…”

The Preparation:
 Watch movie in advance
 Set up AV Equipment
 Make copies of Small Group Questions
 Prepare & copy creation care info

“Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find God” by Sally Ulrey

for the Diocese of Atlanta
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Fantastic Beasts (Hook, 2 hrs OR ~30 mins)
In this section, youth will watch the movie Fantastic Beasts (the first one) OR watch clips from the movie.
There are many themes of the movie that are also themes of Scripture, so the youth will have a chance to
connect this popular movie series with their faith, using it as a tool to encourage them to live out their faith,
particularly in the care of God’s creation.

 LEADER TIP: If showing at church, you will need a CVLI license. See more here: https://us.cvli.com/

Instructions:
If showing clips, use the following:
1. Pet Scene 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz_kjZidcsk&t=21s 2:39
2. Pet Scene 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pVw4ecZgks 2:54
3. Niffler at Jewelry store: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkLpdG7TcX0 2:53
4. Mating Dance Scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bkFmhGRZAQ 3:23
5. Interrogation Scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEKQ1fwAAI4 2:51
6. Demiguise & Occamy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qU6jBe0lvY 4:35
7. Shaw insults Credence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOmHrgWwujw 2:36
8. Mary Lou punishes Credence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwr9CfbCBMg 1:03
9. Credence turns into an Obscurus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS6dWG_fENk 2:44
10. Credence, Newt, Tina: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Frr74ekeQ 2:59
28:37 (total)

Transition: There are lots of themes in this movie that are also themes of Scripture. Obviously, not everything
in the movie is how we want to live our lives, but there ARE lots of parallels and similar themes, so we’re going
to unpack this and use this movie as a tool and reminder to live out our faith, particularly as it concerns caring
for all of God’s creation….

“Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find God” by Sally Ulrey

for the Diocese of Atlanta
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And Where to Find God (Book, 15 mins)
In this section, we’ll take a look at how some of the themes of the movie line up with the themes of Scripture,
and how the movie might give us another picture of how we are to live out Scripture and our faith.

 Go through the Mini-Lecture containing each of the themes of the movie. As you go through, write
down the main theme on the white board/flip chart, and then pause to let the group brainstorm ways
they might have seen that theme in the movie
 Next, lead the group in brainstorming ways that is a theme of Scripture, and how they see that theme
from the movie in the Bible/Christianity
 Write the Scripture references under each them, and have a volunteer from the group read them
 Say something like the summary statement (below) for each theme before moving on to the next
theme
 Be mindful of your time when you are brainstorming with the group

“Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find God” by Sally Ulrey

for the Diocese of Atlanta
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Mini-Lecture (15 mins)
Several themes in the movie:
Courage in the Face of Fear is one of the themes in all the Harry Potter movies.
 Ask: Where did you see that in this movie?
 Write the following Scripture references on the board and have volunteers look them up and read
them (or cut them out below and pass them out)
Isaiah 41:10 Joshua 1:9 Psalm 27:1
Isaiah 41:10: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and
help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Joshua 1:9: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for
the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Psalm 27:1—The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of
whom shall I be afraid?
 Say: The Bible says over and over “Do not fear.” “Fear not.” “Don’t be afraid.” In fact, that command
to not be afraid is one of the most repeated commands throughout the Bible.

Heroism and self-sacrifice in rescuing someone else is another theme.

 Ask: Where did you see that in this movie?
 Write the Scripture references on the board and have a volunteer look them up and read them
John 15:12-14 Philippians 2:3-4
John 15:12-13—My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to
lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Philippians 2:3-4—Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above
yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
 Say: Ultimately, Jesus did it first…he sacrificed himself to rescue someone else

Redemption and the idea that everyone is worth saving and can be redeemed was also a particular theme.
 Ask: Where did you see it?
 Write the Scripture references on the board and have a volunteer look up and read
John 3:16 Romans 5:8 Ephesians 2:8-9
John 3:16— For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life.
Romans 5:8— But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Ephesians 2:8-9—For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the
gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
 Say: On the theme of redemption, Newt Scamander is someone who sees the good in every single
being. He sees past the dangerous parts of these animals, to their goodness, and he is super patient in
figuring out what they need and how to connect with them. He does that with Credence as well.

 LEADER TIP: One caveat you may want to discuss with the youth: Healthy boundaries when dealing with others.
Newt is an expert at dealing with particularly hard-to-deal-with cases. Sometimes that’s true in relationships;
sometimes you don’t have the skills to help every kind of problem a person might have; sometimes you might not be
equipped to care for every kind of need; sometimes the most loving way to “not give up” on people is to connect
them with experts instead who have those skills, because sometimes you’re more like Jacob Kowalski, and you just
help a little on the sidelines when you can…whilst wearing protective armor… “because your skull is susceptible to
breakage under immense force”
“Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find God” by Sally Ulrey
for the Diocese of Atlanta
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Protecting the vulnerable.
 Ask: Where did you see this in the movie?
 Write: the Scripture references on the board and have a volunteer look them up and read them
Psalm 82:3-4 Proverbs 31:8-9
Psalm 82:3-4—Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the
weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Proverbs 31:8-9—Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
 Say: Newt’s lifelong passion is to be a voice to these creatures who don’t have a voice, and who are
hated and hunted because they are misunderstood. They are in danger, because people just don’t
know how to relate to them since they are different, so people lash out at them in fear. Jesus also
protected the vulnerable and spoke out for those no one else listened to and met their needs.

Love vs. Cruelty. Competing ways of dealing with those deemed “dangerous” or “different” or “other”….
 Ask: Where did you see this in the movie? (With animals? With people?)
 LEADER TIP: Some examples you may want to cite:
 In dealing with animals deemed “dangerous”, ignorance led to cruelty. Newt showed a better way,
mainly through knowledge, study, and care. He loved those animals for their own sake, and viewed them
as amazing creatures, not as threats
 In dealing with Credence, the boy who was a “freak,” an outcast, and misunderstood,
o His adoptive mother tried to control him through cruelty and he was not free to be who he was made
to be (and there’s the implication that it was in the name of religion/Christianity, because of the
allusion to the Salem witch trials with the New Salem-ers);
o Graves tried to get him to do things through false pretenses and manipulation to gain power for
himself;
o The Magical Congress, because of their fear, would rather have destroyed him than help or deal with
him;
o Tina and Newt were the ones who really loved him and wanted to help him for his own sake, risking
their own safety (not for any personal gain) to do so.
 Write the Scripture references on the board and have volunteers look them up and read them:
John 13:34-35 Psalm 145:9 Genesis 1:31 Genesis 2:15
John 13:34-35—“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one
another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Psalm 145:9—The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
Genesis 1:31—God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
Genesis 2:15—The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
 Say: The Bible says others will know we are Christians by our love. Love is what can redeem and
transform people from the inside out. It doesn’t try to control people from the outside in. The Bible
also charges to care for all of God’s creation, which God created with love, and we should treat
accordingly.

Transition: Hopefully this movie gives us another picture of how we can live out our faith and love in the
world. Even though it’s fantasy, some of the themes are true and real and biblical, and hopefully, it sparks our
imaginations about how to love others as God commands us in the real world. Let’s talk more about what that
looks like in real life…

“Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find God” by Sally Ulrey

for the Diocese of Atlanta
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Discussion (Look, 25 mins)
In this section, the youth will discuss the real-life implications of the themes from the movie/Scripture, and
what that might look like, lived out in their own lives.

Instructions:
 Place the youth in small groups of about 4-5 people.
 Hand each group a copy of the Small Group Discussion Questions (below), or project them
 Give them about 25 mins or so to discuss them.

Small Group Discussion Questions:

 Courage in the face of fear
1. Where do you need this in your own life?
 Redemption
1. In real life, how do we do this? How do we see past the rough edges of people and see the good in
others? Not give up on people, but keep looking for ways to reach out, connect, and meet people’s
needs?
2. Who in particular do you need to try to see the good in, try to connect with, not give up on?
 Protecting the Vulnerable
1. Who are the most vulnerable people in our society, or who are those whose voice/opinions/needs
are not listened to?
2. What can we do to stand up for them, speak up for them, and protect them?
 Love vs Cruelty
The Bible says others will know we are Christians by our love. Love is what can redeem and transform
people from the inside out. It doesn’t try to control people from the outside in.
1. What examples come to mind of love being the way to transform a person?
2. What examples come to mind of how cruelty does not accomplish this?
3. A lot of cruel things have been done in the name of Christianity over the centuries; what examples
can you think of?
4. How can we combat those things with love?
The Bible also charges to care for all of God’s creation, which God created with love, and we should treat
accordingly.
5. What are some ways we can lovingly care for God’s creation?

o LEADER TIP: Remember you may have to add the caveat about boundaries, and how some people require
expert help, and if we are not experts, we need to love them by finding someone who is to help them.

Transition: So where do we go from here? Hopefully that discussion sparked some ideas for you about how
God is calling you right now in your everyday life to live this out. There might be someone in your life who is
hard to love, or needs some extra patience. There might be someone in your life that needs a friend to stand
up for them. There might be GROUPS of people who are vulnerable and need people to speak up for their
needs. There might be animals or parts of God’s creation that need us to do that as well. Or maybe we just
need to be more intentional about how we view God’s creation (creatures and people): with awe and wonder
and reverence, not ignoring them or disrespecting them. We’re going to go over some ideas of things you can
do this week!
“Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find God” by Sally Ulrey
for the Diocese of Atlanta
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All Creatures Great and Small (Took, 5 mins)
This section brings home the idea that we are called to love every single being God has created, from animals,
to trees, to people. We are called to look for God’s fingerprints throughout creation, and to see the good of
God that is reflected in all of God’s creation…the artist reflected in the art, and to treat that art accordingly.

Instructions:
 Pass out the Handout with “Ideas for Further Exploring…”
 Go over some ideas for how they can further explore the beauty of all God’s creatures and caring for all
of God’s creatures:
o Go outside and observe creation through the eyes of awe and wonder.
o If they like to sketch, have them try to draw something God has made, noting it’s intricacies and
beauty
o Watch one episode of a nature show like “Blue Planet” or “Planet Earth” and marvel at how
amazing God’s creation is…and what that says about the creator
o Research the Episcopal Church’s resources on Creation Care:
https://www.episcopalchurch.org/stewardship-creation-resources
o Advocate for the vulnerable: https://advocacy.episcopalchurch.org
o Go out and observe people. Keep a notepad for a week, where you write down something
good you see in every person around you, strangers, to friends, to family members.

Close in prayer, using the words from “All Things Bright and Beautiful” (or you could sing it!)
https://hymnary.org/text/each_little_flower_that_opens

Refrain:
All things bright and beautiful, 3 The cold wind in the winter,
all creatures great and small, the pleasant summer sun,
all things wise and wonderful, the ripe fruits in the garden:
the Lord God made them all. He made them ev'ry one. [Refrain]

1 Each little flow'r that opens, 4 He gave us eyes to see them,

each little bird that sings, and lips that we might tell
He made their glowing colors, how great is God Almighty,
He made their tiny wings. [Refrain] who has made all things well. [Refrain]

2 The purple-headed mountain,

the river running by,
the sunset and the morning
that brightens up the sky. [Refrain]

“Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find God” by Sally Ulrey

for the Diocese of Atlanta
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 Ideas for Further Exploring the Beauty of God’s Creation—Student Handout
o Go outside and observe creation through the eyes of awe and wonder.
o If they like to sketch, have them try to draw something God has made, noting it’s intricacies and
beauty
o Watch one episode of a nature show like “Blue Planet” or “Planet Earth” and marvel at how
amazing God’s creation is…and what that says about the creator
o Research the Episcopal Church’s resources on Creation Care:
https://www.episcopalchurch.org/stewardship-creation-resources
o Advocate for the vulnerable: https://advocacy.episcopalchurch.org
o Go out and observe people. Keep a notepad for a week, where you write down something
good you see in every person around you, strangers, to friends, to family members.

Refrain:
All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.

1 Each little flow'r that opens,

each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings. [Refrain]

2 The purple-headed mountain,

the river running by,
the sunset and the morning
that brightens up the sky. [Refrain]

3 The cold wind in the winter,

the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden:
He made them ev'ry one. [Refrain]

4 He gave us eyes to see them,

and lips that we might tell
how great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well. [Refrain]

https://hymnary.org/text/each_little_flower_that_opens
“All Things Bright and Beautiful” by Cecil Frances Alexander, 1848, Public Domain

“Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find God” by Sally Ulrey

for the Diocese of Atlanta
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