Faithful Friday: The Newest installment of God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust
By: Debbie Waltz
If you’ve been a loyal follower, you know I try to maintain a politics-free zone on this blog. I’ve always emphasized that this platform provides disability-related information and fosters discussions that encourage new perspectives. Nevertheless, I cannot ignore the abundant blessings of living in our country. We often forget to cherish the freedom of religion, a blessing we are fortunate to have. While watching the newest installment of the God’s Not Dead franchise, I couldn’t help but be reminded of this.
For those unfamiliar with the franchise, these movies follow Christians who struggle to keep their faith amid religious opposition in colleges, schools, and the country. Under the guise of “separation of church and state,” they must fight to keep their freedom. In Great American Pure Flix’s next movie installment, “In God We Trust,” we continue to follow the life of Reverend David Hill (David A.R. White) after he delivers his inspirational speech during an educational hearing. The election is only six weeks away when he receives a surprising invitation to run for Congressman of his district. His opponent, Peter Kane (played by Ray Wise), is in for a tough competition. Kane’s campaign is centered on implementing stronger government oversight and imposing restrictions on religious freedoms to usher in a new wave of enlightenment and transform the country’s core values.
To stop this, Congressman Daryl Smith (Isaiah Washington) seeks the assistance of former campaign manager Lottie Jay (Samaira Armstrong) in leading David’s campaign. Reluctantly, he agrees, oblivious to Lottie’s experiences as a political strategist on the campaign trail. In terms of religious rhetoric, they have differing viewpoints. In his argument, Rev. Hill seeks to show how churches bridge the gap between government and society—helping in ways the government can’t. Lottie argues he should concentrate on exposing his opponent’s weaknesses. In her eyes, this is her sole chance to seek retribution against her son’s father (Peter’s campaign manager) for abandoning her during her pregnancy and to make him suffer the consequences of the damage he caused to her professional aspirations.
To secure more funds for David’s struggling campaign, Lottie strikes a deal with a powerful company figure, offering to facilitate future shortcuts in building projects. David agrees to the concessions without realizing the implications, and the campaign continues. While David and Lottie continue to clash over their approaches to addressing religious viewpoints in public, Lottie slowly sees David’s deep empathy for the people in his district.
Believing that finding something negative about Peter Kane is the only way they can win, Lottie exhaustively delves into her research, determined to uncover any dirt that can be used against David’s opponent. Finally, her sources provide information that Peter Kane had committed a crime during his career, and he allegedly used his wealth and connections to bribe a judge. Ecstatic, she brings the information to David. But he refuses to sink that low – claiming if he leaked the information to the press, that would go against everything his campaign promise stood for. Driven by his strong convictions, he chose to rely solely on his campaign promises and genuine concern for his constituents to win the election, rejecting any shortcuts along the way.
The movie includes a nail-biting election debate and unveils the leaker’s identity, while Lottie learns a valuable lesson about placing trust in the Lord. Additionally, David’s unwavering commitment to maintaining his integrity is finally vindicated. The ending of the story reinforces the significance of living by the motto “In God We Trust” in every aspect of our lives. It serves as a reminder to never take for granted the freedoms we are blessed with in this country – the ability to voice our opinions and contribute to shaping America’s policies. Let us embrace our duty with reverence, ensuring our voices resound and safeguarding the enduring essence of this extraordinary nation for countless generations.
God bless America!