The Book of Clarence (2024)
"Is Knowledge stronger than Belief?"
The Book of Clarence (2024) is a complex film. Directed by Jeymes Samuel, it reimagines the classic biblical epic through a fresh, Black lens—just as his earlier film, The Harder They Fall (2021), did with the Western genre. However, in The Book of Clarence (2024), Samuel doesn't simply retell a biblical story. Instead, he follows the cues from movies like Ben-Hur. He creates a character by which the audience can experience this world of the New Testament.
The film is structured as if it takes place in the hood, but instead, it is set in Jerusalem around 33 AD. It follows Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield), who owes the local "mob boss" Jedediah the Terrible money after losing it in a street race against Mary Magdalene (Teyana Taylor). He is also resentful of his twin brother Thomas for leaving their home and sick mother to follow Jesus.
Act I: The 13th Apostle
“Knowledge is stronger than belief. ”
When Clarence tries to join the Apostles, they dismiss him. His bitterness grows. The Apostles are portrayed as self-important and condescending. Thomas responds and characterizes Clarence as "destined for failure." Instead of Christ-like empathy, Thomas scapegoats Clarence as a personification of his past.
It also mirrors how church communities can sometimes fall into judgment and pride, losing sight of empathy. Especially in the Black Church, where I was raised, power dynamics and titles can sometimes lead people away from treating each other with grace. It can be hard to understand others when you think you are above their struggles. For Clarence, his knowledge of how Thomas treated him and his mother feels more real than any belief in God.
Act II: The New Messiah
In the second scheme of repaying Jedidiah's debt, Clarence decides to become the "New Messiah." He fakes miracles to gain followers and collect money—the irony is that he preaches against belief. Yet, he needs people to believe in him. However, he ultimately gives it all away to free enslaved gladiators. Even though he acts selfishly at first, something starts to shift in him.
Clarence mocks belief while unknowingly searching for something real. In his conversation with Mary, Jesus' mother, Clarence confronts this tension between faith and knowledge. Mary (comically) recounts the story of how the Angel Gabriel appeared to her and Joseph. The tension lies in the fact that Clarence thinks he is hearing beliefs. Still, Mary is sharing her knowledge of her experience. To the audience, we have only heard Mary's words framed as belief, so we are unsure how to take them.
For most of the film, knowledge has been defined as limited to the realm of experience. Belief is an admission that there are some things we don't understand. Knowledge, however, begins to mimic belief when you experience the miraculous.
Act III: The Crucifixion
“It was God. I don’t believe, I know.”
(In a scene that is so dense with pros and cons, I might have to write a whole other article on it) Clarence is arrested and stands before Pontius Pilate as the Romans are arresting all messiahs in Judea and executing them. But something miraculous happens: when challenged to walk on water, he does. It's the first time Clarence experiences something divine for himself. It's no longer secondhand belief—it's firsthand knowledge of something greater. This moment changes everything.
Through Clarence's crucifixion sequence, we can imagine Jesus's passion he foreshadows is to happen not too long afterward. On the Cross, He echoes Jesus's words: "Forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing." Clarence finally comes to terms with his own ignorance, dying just as he moves from anger and doubt to clarity and compassion.
Jesus visits Clarence's tomb, resurrects him, and Clarence—now transformed—recognizes him as Lord. Jesus is dressed in all white, so it is unclear if this takes place after his own Resurrection. Bearing the wounds of the cross, Clarence gets the implied idea to write the book of Clarence.
The movie doesn't give a simple answer. Knowledge is powerful, but it's limited to what we've personally experienced. Belief goes further, allowing us to hope, trust, and connect with things beyond our direct understanding. Sometimes, belief becomes knowledge when we experience something real and miraculous firsthand. Ultimately, Clarence's story shows us that we need both. Knowledge without belief can leave us cynical. Belief without experience can feel empty. Together, they offer a deeper understanding of faith, self, and each other.
