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Should Christians Watch Conclave?

Name: GodlyScore Review: Should Christians Watch Conclave?
Item: Conclave
Rating: 2.8
Author: GodlyScore

Conclave (2024, dir. Edward Berger) is the Oscar-winning thriller about the secret election of a new Pope following the death of the previous pontiff. Starring Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, it was one of 2024's most acclaimed films.

GODLY

Conclave

Mixed

★★★☆☆2.8/5 · GodlyScore 55/100

Sophisticated, beautifully made thriller about institutional faith — takes Christianity seriously even when questioning it, and its central themes are genuinely theological.

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Taking Faith Seriously

Conclave is notable for making the inner life of faith its subject matter. Ralph Fiennes' Cardinal Lawrence is a man of genuine faith wrestling with genuine doubt — not a hypocrite or a villain, but someone who has given his life to the Church and questions whether that was right. The film treats this as a serious moral and spiritual question, not a crisis to be resolved cheaply.

The film's central theological tension — between institutional authority and individual conscience, between certainty and doubt as the foundation of faith — is one Christians across denominations will recognize. Hebrews 11:1's definition of faith as 'the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen' is the framework Conclave's protagonist lives within.

The Ending Controversy

Conclave's final revelation (which this review will not spoil) is genuinely controversial among Catholic and Protestant viewers. It introduces a concept that many Christians will find theologically problematic. The film presents it positively. This is worth knowing before viewing and engaging critically rather than passively.

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Content Breakdown for Christian Viewers

GodlyScore evaluates every show across nine signal categories grounded in Scripture: profanity (Ephesians 4:29), sexual content (1 Corinthians 6:18-20), violence (Psalm 11:5), LGBT normalization (Romans 1:24-27), spiritual darkness (Ephesians 5:11), glorification of sin (Romans 1:32), deception mechanics (Proverbs 12:22), virtue strength (Philippians 4:8), and redemption arc. The score reflects not just whether content is present but how it's framed — depicted critically, neutrally, or as aspirational. Conclave scores 55/100 Mixed.

How to Find Alternatives

See our Christian TV Reviews hub for comparisons. For episode-level content breakdowns, Plugged In and Common Sense Media complement GodlyScore's biblical framework. Age recommendation: older teenagers and adults.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Conclave appropriate for Christians?

Mixed range (55/100). It is a sophisticated, beautifully made film that takes faith and institutional Christianity seriously. Its climactic revelation is theologically controversial and presented positively — worth engaging with awareness and critical distance. Not appropriate for younger viewers.

Is Conclave anti-Catholic?

Conclave is not straightforwardly anti-Catholic — it depicts the conclave process with genuine respect and its protagonist is a man of real faith. It is critical of institutional Church politics and its ending takes a progressive theological position. More sympathetic to Catholicism than hostile, but not devotional.