Florence, Arizona, July 17, 2024
Holy Wisdom Films, based in Florence, Arizona (also the home of St. Anthony’s Monastery, founded by Elder Ephraim), has announced a project to produce a new documentary entitled, “Christianities? Journey to the Heart of the Faith.”
An IndieGoGo fundraiser has been launched to help fund all stages of the creation of the documentary. The campaign has raised 4% of its $350,000 goal at the time of writing of this article.
The synopsis of the film reads:
As the world becomes more chaotic, spiritual seekers are looking for answers. Where is God in all this? Drive around any town and they’ll see churches—monuments to something. But why does Christianity look so different from one place to the next? Why is there not a single Christianity, but "Christianities"—a divided faith, split by politics, beliefs, and more.
And what exactly is a Christian? Join our host, John Heers, as he travels the world to ask these profound questions. John is not an academician or a sociologist, but a storyteller and keen student of history, navigating the diverse landscapes of faith with curiosity and humor. This documentary will take you on a wild journey through the heart of faith, identity, and culture by interviewing spiritual and intellectual leaders from around the world.
We'll uncover the many faces of Christianity, exploring its divisions and commonalities, and how the ancient faith persists despite the rise of secularism and paganism. Let's figure out what's going on with all these Christianities—and enjoy some comic relief along the way…
Many people today feel alienated by the shallow expressions of Christianity influenced by politics, social clout, and pop culture. This film tackles these issues head-on by exploring how Christianity offers something infinitely more profound. By delving into questions of identity and community, the documentary seeks to help viewers seeking to get to the heart of the ancient Faith.
The documentary will be hosted by John Heers, an Orthodox Christian and founder of the First Things Foundation, which “was conceived as a way to remind wealthy westerners of what gives meaning to life and as a mechanism for serving the poorest among us.”
It will be directed by Scooter Downey, an Orthodox Christian and documentary filmmaker who has worked with some of the biggest names in media.
The fundraiser page offers a breakdown of costs of producing the documentary, as well as a number of perks based on the level of support, including copies of the documentary, bonus footage, a pre-release stream of the film, a private screening, producer credits, and even all-expenses-paid trips to Georgia (with John Heers) and Mt. Athos (with Protopresbyter Peter Heers).
See the IndieGoGo page for more information and to offer your support.
Holy Wisdom Films has released two short introductory videos:
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