When Faith Meets Hollywood

In an effort to maintain my questionable sanity, I've made a point of taking in a movie for the past two weekends. I find myself drawn immediately to the faith-based films that are currently in theaters. Here's my quick review of the films I have seen.



Miracles are from Heaven is a modern-day story about a miraculous healing. A young Texas girl was found to have a horrific disease with little hope of recovery. The illness pervades every aspect of the family's life and shakes the faith of both parents. In desperation, the mother takes her daughter to Boston for an experimental treatment. After many tests and lots of hospital stays, the family is sent home to enjoy what is left of the daughter's brief life. While playing with her older sister one afternoon, the sick girl climbs a tree and ultimately falls nearly 30 feet through the rotten trunk. Amazingly, the youngster sustains no major injuries -- and all signs of her life-threatening illness have disappeared. The young girl says that she encountered God while in the tree trunk and that He assured her everything would be okay. The story is based upon a true account.

I enjoyed this film immensely. I cried with the family as they dealt with the pain of a child. I understood how a person's faith could be tremendously challenged in the face of such difficulties. I laughed with Mom and Dad as they realized that their child was healthy and had been given a normal childhood once again through what could only be described as miraculous. But it wasn't the miracle that was so impressive to me. Jennifer Gardner's portrayal of a grieving, faith-challenged mother was exceptional. I was happy to see that the film addressed feelings of doubt that we have all faced at some point in our life without attaching guilt or judgment to the human condition. This is definitely a film worth seeing.



God's Not Dead 2 is a very different film that addresses issues of free speech and the separation of church and state. Set in my home state of Arkansas, the film follows the legal proceedings surrounding a high school history teacher who responds to a student's inquiry about the similarities between the teachings of Mahatma Ghandi and Jesus Christ. The ACLU takes up the case and begins a campaign to alleviate any mention of Christ or Christianity in the public classroom. I'm not going to tell too much of the plot of this film.....because I really hope you go to see if for yourself! I will say that the leading actors are great; both Jesse Metcalfe and Melissa Joan Hart give outstanding performances that will move you and cause you to think about your own opinions regarding these controversial issues. The final exchange depicted in the trial alone is worth the price of admission.

It's been great to see quality faith-based films making an appearance on the big screen once again. Now I'm really looking forward to seeing the next big film from these production companies -- Ben Hur is set to hit theaters in August, 2016.