Is America now or has it ever been a Christian Nation? What is the meaning of separation of church and state? How can the church be a faithful Gospel witness in a pluralistic society? What will the church look like in the future? People of Faith: Christianity in America brings perspective to these questions and more.
Alternate formats: DVD - $9.99
Won at July 2012 - International Christian Visual Media
Won at July 2012 - International Christian Visual Media
Is America now or has it ever been a Christian Nation?
What is the meaning of separation of church and state?
How can the church be a faithful Gospel witness in a pluralistic society?
What will the church look like in the future?
People of Faith: Christianity in America brings perspective to these questions and more.
Survey the history of Christianity in the United States from before the Pilgrims to the present in this stunning DVD series. You’ll gain valuable perspective on the people and ideas that shaped America and see how it came to be the first nation in history based upon the ideal of religious liberty.
In this six episode DVD you’ll meet the spiritual visionaries, leaders and entrepreneurs who shaped Christianity across the centuries and dramatically impacted the culture we live in today, including Jonathan Edwards, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Archbishop John Joseph Hughes, Martin Luther King Jr. and Billy Graham among many other influential Protestant and Catholic Christians.
Six 30+ minute episodes:
1. Faith in the New World: From Monarchs to the Marketplace - a basic historical overview
2. Many Mansions - a look at the diversity within American Christianity.
3. Rebels with a Cause - a look at some of the ways in which the church has been involved in social and political reform and disputes.
4. Challenges and Change - the role of innovation in shaping the historic and contemporary Church.
5. Home Grown Saints - stories of ten important and representative figures in the sweep of American Church History.
6. The Future of Christianity - a discussion of current issues and future directions.
Features:
-.pdf Study and Discussion Questions for Small Group and Class Interaction (click link on "Downloads" tab above)
-Optional English Subtitles
Presented in six parts, this comprehensive production surveys the 400-plus years of Christianity in America, covering pivotal figures such as Jonathan Edward, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Martin Luther King Jr., Billy Graham, and others, while also describing key movements including the Great Awakening, abolitionism, Catholic immigration in the 1800s, fundamentalism, Vatican II and the civil rights struggles of the mid-20th century. Scholars and historians representing evangelical, mainline Protestant and Catholic perspective--including Martin Martyr of the University of Chicago, Mark Noll of the University of Notre Dame, and Kathryn Long of Wheaton College, among others--offer insights and commentary, exploring issues such as the separation of church and state, the challenged of religion in a pluralistic society, the emergence of modern "mega-churches" that seems to follow a consumerist approach to faith, and the evangelical role of popular music and the Internet. DVD extras include bonus interviews, study and discussion questions, and transcripts. Offering a balanced and informative look at an important aspect of American history and culture over the centuries, this is highly recommended.
People of Faith Christianity in America presents an outstanding overview of the history and practice of Christianity in America with all of its rich diversity and profound complexity. Respected religion historians excellent narration and skillfully edited video move the story forward compellingly covering a lot of territory in six short episodes. I watched the entire series in one sitting and the time flew by. I highly recommend this program.
For those who are fascinated by the relationship between religion and culture in the United States the video series People of Faith Christianity in America is a trustworthy guide. Each of the six sessions guides the viewer to follow an issue or trend in the history of Christianity in the United States and see its manifestation in religious social and political events throughout our history and today. The clear and focused narrative along with the superb visuals and commentary by universally respected scholars makes this an excellent tool for use in classes for adults and teenagers in the congregations of all denomination. Claire Buettner St. Luke's Lutheran Church Park Ridge Illinois
People of Faith does for the history of Christianity in America what Ken Burns has done for the history of the Civil War baseball and jazz. Steve Rabey's scripts are carefully researched and easy to follow. This isn't just a dry chronology. Rather each episode follows a thematic view of the last two centuries in a way that would allow that episode to stand alone in a classroom setting or fit seamlessly into a viewing of the entire series.Coproducer editor and videographer Tim Frakes is a consummate storyteller who has kept the episodes visually captivating through impeccable variety and pacing. Interviews with scholars help the viewer not just to grasp what happened in the past but to understand how the church institutions and organizations we know today have come to be. This series belongs in every congregational collection and university library.Rev. Mark D. Johns Ph.D.Associate Professor of Media StudiesLuther College Decorah Iowa