In the 1955 film Ordet (The Word), we follow the story of two families and their different ways of coping with uncertainty, pain, and the search for meaning in life.
Let’s start with the old farmer, Morten Borgen. For him, religion is a shield against suffering. He believes in a benevolent God. This faith brings him peace, but it also protects him from the terrifying unknown. He has a hard time accepting a miracle if it steps outside the boundaries of his familiar world. In psychological terms, this looks a lot like avoidance—the urge to hold onto a comfortable view of reality.
Peter the Tailor is his complete opposite. His faith is a fortress against the sins of the modern world. Strict rules give him a sense of order and safety. You could call this a need for «cognitive closure«—the desire to wipe out doubt and uncertainty using a rigid set of beliefs.
Mikkel, Morten’s oldest son, has lost his faith but kept his ability to love. He is incredibly happy with Inger, but his atheism is powerless in the face of real grief. When Inger dies, Mikkel’s world shatters. Her resurrection, however, is what finally makes him a believer.
The middle son, Johannes, is an outcast. He is the only one who takes biblical miracles seriously, yet he lives among people for whom miracles are a thing of the past. His spiritual conviction is wrapped up in a severe psychological breakdown. And that is the bitter irony: his family thinks he is insane, but he ultimately becomes the one who brings their hope back to life.
The youngest son, Anders, represents the struggle for independence. He wants to marry Peter’s daughter, but finds himself torn between his own desires and his father’s will.
And then, of course, there is Inger. She is arguably the most emotionally mature and grounded person in the whole story. She doesn’t need defensive ideologies. She simply lives, loves, accepts people with all their flaws, and keeps the peace in the family. She is its heart. And her death exposes just how fragile their seemingly happy life really is.
But we can’t forget little Maren, Inger’s daughter. While the adults argue over theology and morality, she simply believes. It is Maren who asks Johannes to bring her mother back, and her childlike faith sets the stage for a miracle. It brings to mind the words of Christ: «Become like little children.»
The adults are stuck in their fears, defenses, and dogmas. Inger, on the other hand, embodies unconditional love, while Maren embodies unconditional trust.
The death of this young mother finally forces everyone to drop their need to be right and to truly see each other’s pain. Before this, they were just representatives of different religious factions. Afterward, they are simply human beings.
And that is where the true miracle lies: in finding our lost humanity and, just maybe, discovering true faith.
I highly recommend watching this remarkable film. Enjoy the movie!
