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A Great Awakening: <\/i>An Extraordinary Film<\/strong><\/h2>\nLast weekend, on the advice of a friend, Marty and I went to see the movie <\/span>A Great Awakening. <\/span><\/i>I was prepared for a good film with historical content, because that\u2019s what my friend told me. I was <\/span>not <\/span><\/i>prepared for the emotional journey that we entered into. More than once, with misty eyes I looked over at my tough veteran husband and saw tears on his cheeks. When it was over he said, \u201cI think that may be the best movie I\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nSo what is this film? \u201cIn honor of America\u2019s 250th Anniversary, the film <\/span>A Great Awakening <\/span><\/i><\/a>[Sight and Sound] tells the true story of an unlikely friendship that resulted in one of the most defining moments in American history. With the colonies on the brink of collapse, the Reverend George Whitefield sparks the first Great Awakening, uniting an entire generation with his thundering proclamation of liberty in Christ. In a miraculous turn of events, one of Whitefield\u2019s closest friends and greatest promoters becomes none other than Benjamin Franklin. With the nation\u2019s freedom hanging in the balance, Franklin discovers true liberty cannot only be written into law\u2013it must be awakened in the hearts of people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThe film opened in theaters on April 3, 2026. It runs 2 hours and 9 minutes. The rating is PG-13. The cast includes Jonathan Blair as George Whitefield, John Paul Sneed as Benjamin Franklin, Russell Dean Schultz as George Washington, and Caleb Hughes and Carson Burkett as George and John Wesley. <\/span>It explores how the movement united the American colonies and laid the groundwork for the 1776 revolution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nRelying on history, the colorful, charismatic characters move us from the tragedy of a poor boy in England, through the trials and confusion of a young student seeking the truth, to the triumph of Christ in a new nation through a young preacher\u2019s message. The film is a commentary that promotes God in Christ, of course, but it also promotes kindness, friendship, persistence, and respect for those with a different idea, belief, or way of life.<\/span><\/p>\nQuestions About Content<\/strong><\/h2>\nAccording to <\/span>Kids In Mind<\/span><\/a>:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe sexual content is limited to a woman\u2019s hand on the married Franklin\u2019s knee (suggesting more), several women who could possibly be prostitutes in a crowd, and a man\u2019s chest seen through a wet shirt.<\/span><\/p>\nThere is slightly more in the abuse column where a young man is shamed for having a bad eye, a woman who appears with a black eye, and a man who fasts until nearly dead. There is a little physical fighting and injury from rocks being thrown.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Unlikely Friendship<\/strong><\/h2>\n\u201cLet us proclaim freedom to the captives,\u201d Whitefield proclaims to Americans. \u201cWhom the son sets free is free indeed! Arise, O sleeper, awaken!\u201d When it is suggested that the newly arrived Whitefield\u2019s voice can be heard by 30,000 people at once, Franklin sets off to find out for himself, and judges the statement to be accurate.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIt was wonderful to see the Change soon made in the Manners of our Inhabitants; from being thoughtless or indifferent about Religion, it seem\u2019d as if all the World were growing Religious; so that one could not walk thro\u2019 the Town in an Evening without Hearing Psalms sung in different Families of every Street.\u201d So <\/span>writes<\/span><\/a> Benjamin Franklin about the strange new preacher.<\/span><\/p>\nFranklin, however, is a Deist (meaning \u201c<\/span>the belief in the existence of a creator God who simply does not intervene anymore after creating the universe, solely based on rational thought and without any reliance on revealed religions or religious authorities<\/span>),\u201d and strikes up a relationship with Whitefield based on the possibility of financial gain:<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWhat did you make of Mr. Whitefield\u2019s message today?\u201d a girl asks Franklin.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI plan to make a lot <\/span>from <\/span><\/i>it,\u201d he replies.<\/span><\/p>\nBut even if he cannot bring himself to agree with all the teachings of Whitefield, Franklin admires his skills of rhetoric and his passion. He prints and sells his sermons and promotes Whitfield\u2019s appearances. As the two men spend time together, they become great friends and stay that way for over thirty years.<\/span><\/p>\nOther Considerations<\/strong><\/h2>\nWhitefield\u2019s position on slavery is problematic. Although he welcomed African Americans to hear the gospel and treated them as spiritual equals in the salvation offered by Jesus Christ, and although he condemned the colonies for allowing slavery, he later took advantage of slave labor to run his orphanage in Georgia, claiming he could not afford it otherwise. Franklin called him out on it, too, leading to an argument between the friends.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nTheir debate is one with which we are familiar: faith vs. works; religion vs. morality.<\/span><\/p>\nGo See This Movie!<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe history in the film is pretty solid, I\u2019m assured by those who know more than I. My research seems to agree. So if you\u2019re a history buff or if you like a good story of the passionate faith of a man who changed the direction of a country, you should see this movie.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nOn his facebook page, Ken Ham wrote, \u201cMally and I took some of our children and grandchildren to see the new movie produced by Sight and Sound \u2013 A Great Awakening. We all loved it! It\u2019s one of the best movies I\u2019ve ever seen. It\u2019s emotional and very convicting\u2014a movie about the life of the famous preacher George Whitefield. I was so thrilled our family could see this. I encourage every family to find a theater near you that is showing it and do not miss it! It may only be in theaters for another few days or so\u2014it\u2019s in about 1,000 theaters through this weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n
I think my favorite quote from the movie was when George Whitefield was criticized by the elder clergy for being such a dynamic story-teller when he preached. He responded to them, \u201cI present my fiction as though it were truth; you present your truth as though it were fiction.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll just leave you with this: the characters in Christian films don\u2019t always have to wear tunics and sandals to teach a thing to the glory of God.<\/span><\/p>\n
So what is this film? \u201cIn honor of America\u2019s 250th Anniversary, the film <\/span>A Great Awakening <\/span><\/i><\/a>[Sight and Sound] tells the true story of an unlikely friendship that resulted in one of the most defining moments in American history. With the colonies on the brink of collapse, the Reverend George Whitefield sparks the first Great Awakening, uniting an entire generation with his thundering proclamation of liberty in Christ. In a miraculous turn of events, one of Whitefield\u2019s closest friends and greatest promoters becomes none other than Benjamin Franklin. With the nation\u2019s freedom hanging in the balance, Franklin discovers true liberty cannot only be written into law\u2013it must be awakened in the hearts of people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The film opened in theaters on April 3, 2026. It runs 2 hours and 9 minutes. The rating is PG-13. The cast includes Jonathan Blair as George Whitefield, John Paul Sneed as Benjamin Franklin, Russell Dean Schultz as George Washington, and Caleb Hughes and Carson Burkett as George and John Wesley. <\/span>It explores how the movement united the American colonies and laid the groundwork for the 1776 revolution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Relying on history, the colorful, charismatic characters move us from the tragedy of a poor boy in England, through the trials and confusion of a young student seeking the truth, to the triumph of Christ in a new nation through a young preacher\u2019s message. The film is a commentary that promotes God in Christ, of course, but it also promotes kindness, friendship, persistence, and respect for those with a different idea, belief, or way of life.<\/span><\/p>\n According to <\/span>Kids In Mind<\/span><\/a>:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The sexual content is limited to a woman\u2019s hand on the married Franklin\u2019s knee (suggesting more), several women who could possibly be prostitutes in a crowd, and a man\u2019s chest seen through a wet shirt.<\/span><\/p>\n There is slightly more in the abuse column where a young man is shamed for having a bad eye, a woman who appears with a black eye, and a man who fasts until nearly dead. There is a little physical fighting and injury from rocks being thrown.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLet us proclaim freedom to the captives,\u201d Whitefield proclaims to Americans. \u201cWhom the son sets free is free indeed! Arise, O sleeper, awaken!\u201d When it is suggested that the newly arrived Whitefield\u2019s voice can be heard by 30,000 people at once, Franklin sets off to find out for himself, and judges the statement to be accurate.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt was wonderful to see the Change soon made in the Manners of our Inhabitants; from being thoughtless or indifferent about Religion, it seem\u2019d as if all the World were growing Religious; so that one could not walk thro\u2019 the Town in an Evening without Hearing Psalms sung in different Families of every Street.\u201d So <\/span>writes<\/span><\/a> Benjamin Franklin about the strange new preacher.<\/span><\/p>\n Franklin, however, is a Deist (meaning \u201c<\/span>the belief in the existence of a creator God who simply does not intervene anymore after creating the universe, solely based on rational thought and without any reliance on revealed religions or religious authorities<\/span>),\u201d and strikes up a relationship with Whitefield based on the possibility of financial gain:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you make of Mr. Whitefield\u2019s message today?\u201d a girl asks Franklin.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI plan to make a lot <\/span>from <\/span><\/i>it,\u201d he replies.<\/span><\/p>\n But even if he cannot bring himself to agree with all the teachings of Whitefield, Franklin admires his skills of rhetoric and his passion. He prints and sells his sermons and promotes Whitfield\u2019s appearances. As the two men spend time together, they become great friends and stay that way for over thirty years.<\/span><\/p>\n Whitefield\u2019s position on slavery is problematic. Although he welcomed African Americans to hear the gospel and treated them as spiritual equals in the salvation offered by Jesus Christ, and although he condemned the colonies for allowing slavery, he later took advantage of slave labor to run his orphanage in Georgia, claiming he could not afford it otherwise. Franklin called him out on it, too, leading to an argument between the friends.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Their debate is one with which we are familiar: faith vs. works; religion vs. morality.<\/span><\/p>\n The history in the film is pretty solid, I\u2019m assured by those who know more than I. My research seems to agree. So if you\u2019re a history buff or if you like a good story of the passionate faith of a man who changed the direction of a country, you should see this movie.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n On his facebook page, Ken Ham wrote, \u201cMally and I took some of our children and grandchildren to see the new movie produced by Sight and Sound \u2013 A Great Awakening. We all loved it! It\u2019s one of the best movies I\u2019ve ever seen. It\u2019s emotional and very convicting\u2014a movie about the life of the famous preacher George Whitefield. I was so thrilled our family could see this. I encourage every family to find a theater near you that is showing it and do not miss it! It may only be in theaters for another few days or so\u2014it\u2019s in about 1,000 theaters through this weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n I think my favorite quote from the movie was when George Whitefield was criticized by the elder clergy for being such a dynamic story-teller when he preached. He responded to them, \u201cI present my fiction as though it were truth; you present your truth as though it were fiction.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019ll just leave you with this: the characters in Christian films don\u2019t always have to wear tunics and sandals to teach a thing to the glory of God.<\/span><\/p>\nQuestions About Content<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The Unlikely Friendship<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Other Considerations<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Go See This Movie!<\/strong><\/h2>\n