GEORGE WASHINGTON

GEORGE WASHINGTON is a documentary now available on DVD that recounts the story of this remarkable Founding Father from his birth and youth to his military triumph, presidency, death, and legacy. It brings together some excellent authorities on modern history such as Eric Metaxas, Dr. Peter Lillback, the founder of Providence Forum, and the late Dr. Walter E. Williams of George Mason University. Together, these men offer an accurate narrative of Washington that’s hard to find these days. Of the many topics touched upon, however, the most time is spent on Washington’s faith, perhaps because this is an ongoing debate among American historians. At the heart of this debate lies the question: “Was this father of a nation a Christian or not?”

Overall, the documentary has a single aim, which it accomplishes. However, it does so feeling rushed and repetitive. Its pacing is odd with an introduction whose salient points are simply repeated in later portions of the narrative. This adds to its repetitive nature because it begins to look like a copy and paste work. The speakers who drive the documentary forward are well chosen, eloquent and provide a good big picture of Washington, his world and worldview. Sometimes a speaker seems, as E. B. White said of his professor, Will Strunk, “to have shortchanged himself – a man left with nothing more to say yet with time to fill” (THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, 4th ed., Introduction, xv). When that happens, the movie seems to hurt its message.

The movie’s music follows its minimalist approach to narrative. At times, the music whips up things furiously to bolster a salient point, only to be cut off short by a transition to another scene or whole new topic. As a result, some parts feel a bit too abrupt. Also, the narration is sometimes too bland, though serviceable.

However, the presence of excellent speakers such as Walter Williams brings a compelling historical element to the movie. GEORGE WASHINGTON clearly has something important to say as it tries to vindicate the argument for Washington’s Christianity.

GEORGE WASHINGTON has a strong Christian, biblical worldview and puts to rest the debate over Washington’s religion. Contrary to popular belief, the Founding Fathers on the whole were not impacted by the French Enlightenment. They were impacted more by the Scottish Enlightenment that affected Great Britain. Unlike the French Enlightenment and later the French Revolution, Great Britain and America did not totally reject the Christian faith but extended it to include a strong philosophy of rational empiricism. Also, although the Founding Fathers quoted from Enlightenment thinkers and political philosophers like Montesquieu and John Locke, both of whom were strong Protestants, most of their quotations are from the Bible, especially the Book of Deuteronomy.

That said, it’s sometimes difficult to discern whether George Washington was a deist who sounds Christian or a true Christian. For example, he often expressed himself in ambiguous terms such as “Divine Providence” or “Almighty Being” when speaking of God. However, he had a strong Anglican background rooted in the Bible and Book of Common Prayer. Also, his writings contain a few direct references to Jesus Christ. They also had deeply biblical expressions. These facts lend strong credence to the movie’s view that President Washington actually was a true Christian. Thus, the movie seems to prove its point about his personal beliefs.

GEORGE WASHINGTON is free of foul language (as Washington himself repeatedly required of his Continental Army), strong violence and lewd content. Also, it has many positive references to Scripture, prayer, the God of the Bible, humility, going regularly to church, partaking the Lord’s Supper, and adhering to biblical morality. Thus, it’s suitable for all viewers but the very young. It is a stirring call to reconsider a Founding Father who, as Dr. Lillback states, has been reconsidered until he’s unrecognizable by many people today. Perhaps Washington, in the hands of his critics, is much like what G. K. Chesterton once said of Shakespeare: “Shakespeare is quite himself; it is only some of his critics who have discovered that he was somebody else” (G. K. Chesterton, ORTHODOXY, pages 12-13).

MOVIEGUIDE® recommends GEORGE WASHINGTON for all ages but the very young, who might find the movie’s talk of war a little scary. For example, there are descriptions of war, wounds, near death experiences, and death. GEORGE WASHINGTON can be ordered from Providence Forum through its sister organization, Coral Ridge Ministries, or streamed for rent or purchase on Salem Now’s website.