Top 5 Frozen 2 Biblical Integration Points
Frozen 2 cries out the Truths of our Creator in some of the most powerful ways that we’ve seen in a Disney film in some time. As you may know from some of our other content, we believe that all truth is God’s Truth. Meaning that all of creation, including the stories that people tell through movies, all shout the Truth of God’s glory. This Truth includes the story of His redemption through the blood of Christ. We are going to break down 5 ways that Frozen 2 tells God’s story, giving you several biblical integration points to discuss with family and friends.
All our favorite characters (Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Christof, and Svien) from the popular 2013 film, Frozen, return to the big screen. This time, they take on another adventure in the northern lands of Arendelle. The movie is filled with plenty of snowy scenes, stunning animation, and an engaging story. All of it, set to beautiful music.
Top 5 Frozen 2 Biblical Integration Points
Warning: The following text contains spoilers.
We hope the following biblical integration points will amplify the enjoyment of Frozen 2 and provide you with post-film talking points that highlight how God’s story is etched onto the hearts of all mankind.
1. The Longing for Eternity
In an early scene of the film, Olaf and Anna grapple with questions and fears about the changes of life around them: the seasons, passing time, getting older, and growing apart. In their song together, “Some Things Never Change,” they attempt to overcome these with the notion that they’ll face the changes together. Their love for one another will remain permanent.
This beautiful picture of our desire for consistency and the eternal speaks to God’s design for us and creation to live with Him forever. We were not made for the changes of death and brokenness that sin has brought into creation. All people, regardless of their faith, grapple with this longing for the eternal each day. However, they also face the ever-changing world around us. Consequently, we know then that we were not made for this world. One day, God will restore us to live with Him in eternity.
2. A Calling Spirit
Throughout the film, Elsa hears (faintly at first, but louder and unignorable over time) the calling of a spirit. It is beckoning her to leave the life of comfort in Arendelle with her sister and friends, and to follow it into the unknown of the lands in the north. Elsa’s headline song “Into the Unknown” provides a great picture of what many Christians experience as the Holy Spirit calling us into submission to Christ, into a relationship with God, and even into the mission field.
Elsa sighs, “I’ve had my adventure, I don’t need something new. I’m afraid of what I’m risking if I follow you.” Christians know too well the inward and irresistible call of Christ to deny ourselves and “take up His cross and follow [Jesus]. For whoever would save his life, will lose it, but whoever loses his life for [Christ’s] sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). The singing spirit eventually leads Elsa to see clearly her purpose and the brokenness and sadness all around. Like the Holy Spirit, this singing spirit that turns out to be within Elsa all along is the guiding force that leads to the restoration and redemption of both kingdoms.
3. Reconciliation and Restoration
One story arc of the film centers around Elsa and Anna’s grandfather and the Northuldra, a mysterious and magical people who live north of Arendelle. The legend, according to Elsa and Anna’s father, is that the Northuldra betrayed the people of Arendelle during a ceremony to dedicate a dam built by the people of Arendelle for the Northuldra. We learn that, in fact, Elsa and Anna’s grandfather betrayed the Northuldra instead. Not only did his betrayal create a rift between the two peoples, but the magical forest around them grew angry and built barriers between the two groups to stop the evil-fighting.
Anna embraces the truth of the pain caused by her grandfather and destroys the dam despite the certain destruction is will cause Arendelle. Elsa gives up her crown to take up her role as the redeemer in order to restore peace to the forest and reconcile the peoples. This picture of reconciliation and restoration calls to mind what we see in Scripture where Christ comes to not only save His people, the Israelites, but the Gentiles as well. He gives up his throne in Heaven to become man and sacrifice Himself on the cross so that people from every tribe and tongue across the globe can live in peace and harmony. Furthermore, one day, we will see even creation fully restored.
4. Longing for the Truth
The movie is full of references, made by the characters, to seeking the truth: the truth about what happened between the people of Northuldra and Arendelle all those years ago, the truth about Elsa’s purpose and the reason for her powers, the truth about Elsa and Anna’s mother, even the truth about whether Anna really loves Christoph enough to marry him.
God has built in us all the desire to seek out the truth. Our post-modern world has tried to satisfy this God-given desire with the notion that truth is relative and not absolute, but you can’t have resolution, restoration, or even closure, without the peace and understanding that only absolute truth can provide. Our characters learn the truth of the past and use that truth to heal and restore the broken people and nature around them. So too can Christians use the absolute Truth of the Scripture and the Holy Spirit to heal and restore our own brokenness and relationships.
5. Elsa, the Christ Figure
I’m sure this one doesn’t come as any surprise based on what we’ve covered up until now. Elsa is clearly, even to non-Christian or religious people, the savior or heroine in the movie. It’s in the specifics of how she is the savior that re-tell the story of Christ’s redemption so well.
First off, Elsa’s person is both mortal and mythological god, with powers beyond regular humans. Christ is both 100% man and 100% God all in one person.
Second, Elsa follows the call of the singing spirit into the depths of an icy glacier to save the people of Arendelle and Northuldra by restoring harmony between the people and the land. Elsa then reemerges from this icy depth and uses her power to stop a typhoon wave from destroying the kingdom of Arendelle. Christ followed the God’s plan to the cross and the grave as a sacrifice for the sins of His people, but Christ didn’t stay buried in the depths of the earth. Instead, He rose again triumphantly to defeat death, restoring our relationship with God and creation. And saving us from the death we deserve because of our sin.
Finally, Elsa leaves her throne to Anna and instead rules and protects the region and people of Northuldra. Christ ascended into Heaven and left behind the Church to care for His people while He rules and protects the world from Heaven.
Frozen 2’s Biblical Truths
This brings us to the end of our Top 5 Frozen 2 biblical integration list, but it barely scratches the surface on all the ways this movie screams God’s truths. After watching it, my wife and I had our kids share all the ways they saw God’s story throughout the movie. They listed biblical integration points for the entire 30-minute ride home – and could have kept going!
As you may imagine, Frozen 2 isn’t the only Disney movie with strong biblical integration points. In fact, we believe Shang-Chi encourages Christians to face their demons, inadvertanty of course! But that’s kind of the whole point: whether we know it or not, the entirety of creation, and especially mankind, repeats the truths imbedded within us by our Creator. In our evangelistic efforts, these universal themes can be avenues by which we engage with culture, redeeming it through the work of Christ.
What nuggets of God’s truth did you find while watching? Do you agree or disagree with the Frozen 2 biblical integration points we discussed? We’d love to hear your thoughts and comments below!