Let the Lion Roar
By in Entertainment News, Movie Reviews, Movies
“Complete the Reformation.”
That is the call Derek Frank heard more than twenty years ago. At the time, it seemed ludicrous. Surely the Reformation was complete. How could he add anything to the work of the church fathers?
As time wore on, though, it became clear that for all the good Martin Luther and John Calvin had done, there was still something terribly wrong with their work. They and many others in the church had succumbed to a powerful deception, one that threatened to steal from the people of God their true identity and their influence in the world.
Jason Burkey performs as famous church father Martin Luther; Photo Courtesy of Roaring Lions Productions.
This ancient deception has a name: Anti-Semitism. It whispers in our ears, “Did God really say Israel is still significant?” It poisons our hearts with prejudice against “Christ-killers” who constantly reject Jesus as Messiah. It deceives our minds with Bibles filled with Anglicized Jewish names and a sense of false superiority of the Church over Israel.
Ultimately, however, the Church’s roots are planted in Israel, and God’s promises to the Jewish nation still stand. Thus, the conspiracy to conceal Christianity’s Semitic origins threatens the very foundations of our faith.
This ground-breaking documentary unites some of the most well-known Christian actors, recording artists, and celebrities, including Kevin Sorbo (God’s Not Dead), Jason Burkey (October Baby), Jenn Gotzon (Alone Yet Not Alone), Jaci Velasquez, and Brad Stine. Led by narrator Derek Frank, who plays the role of tour guide through a living art gallery, the cast spans history from the days of the early Church to the Reformation and into modern times.
See the trailer below:
Frank uses everything from sweeping CG shots of medieval cities to simple magic tricks and from intimate conversations with church fathers to imaginary courtroom dramas to get his point across. Far from the dull, impersonal documentaries some might have experienced in the past, Let the Lion Roar makes the viewer feel like part of the experience, always directly addressed and always intimately close to the characters in this tour through the ages.
Viewers may find the tone of this documentary reminiscent of The Da Vinci Code, so lovers of mystery and conspiracy theories may find themselves especially drawn to the film. However, the style is more theatrical than naturalistic, so some audience members may be turned off by the false beards and presentational acting. In the end, though, the message is compelling enough to wipe away nitpicks and leave movie-goers pondering the nature of their faith for days on end.
Kevin Sorbo plays pillar of the church, John Calvin; Photo Courtesy of Roaring Lions Productions.
Christian Worldview
Time and again, Let the Lion Roar challenges our preconceived notions about our faith, our Church, and ourselves. It proves that hatred and prejudice can be found in any heart, even in that of the most revered heroes of the faith. By doing so, it suggests that we aren’t as free of these cursed sins as we might suspect, and it should lead us to examine our lives for any trace of them, not only towards the Jews but also towards all our fellow human beings.
Frank encourages us as members of the Church to look past our pride and self-centeredness to realize that we are not all-important, but that we are part of something far bigger. This message may be exactly what a congregation more focused on serving its own members than on outreach and evangelism needs to hear. Only by realizing we are grafted into God’s family tree and we are not the original tree itself can we shatter our false sense of superiority.
The film comments on the fragmentation & bickering between church denominations; Photo Courtesy of Roaring Lions Productions.
Finally, this documentary challenges us to seek out our true identities as Christians. Once we know who we are and where we came from, we will be better equipped in mind and soul to regain our lost influence in the world. For the modern Church struggling to stay relevant, a look to the past may be more helpful than we can imagine.
Biblical Discussion
As I said before, this is a movie that forces the audience to really think about what they’ve just seen and heard. It raises a multitude of questions that must be discussed and answered. Will these answers be easy to come by? Certainly not, but they are important answers.
- Has the Church become the new Israel, or is it merely a part of Israel?
- What is Israel’s purpose in today’s world?
- Where do Jews who do not accept Jesus as Messiah stand in God’s eyes?
- How would the Church/my faith be different if it acknowledged its Jewish origins?
The passages below may be of some help as the Church ponders these questions.
- Jeremiah 33:17-26
- Genesis 12:2-3
- Romans 11
Find out more about the film at the Official Let the Lion Roar Website
Don’t miss our special interview with Actor Kevin Sorbo on Newest Film “Let the Lion Roar”
Jonathan King writes speculative fiction for middle grade and young adult readers. Several of his short stories have been published in North Greenville University’s literary magazine,The Mountain Laurel, and one of them received a Certificate of Merit from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. In addition, his one act play “Cuckoo in the Nest” was written and performed for the John Hewitt International Summer School in Armagh, Northern Ireland. In his free time, Jonathan writes a movie blog called The Nerd King, in which he reviews trailers for upcoming movies and takes a deeper look at older films.
You’re right, there shouldn’t be any false superiority felt by Gentiles towards Jews. Romans 11 talks to that ….. salvation is a work of God, so no one should be prideful in themselves. But that doesn’t mean that we need to invent a conspiracy that was never there; translations are never perfect….you can’t go from Hebrew or Greek to English without making choices on how to express words and thoughts. There’s no evidence that the translators did so maliciously.
That the racism against Jews was continued by the Reformers is to their shame. But that doesn’t mean that covenant theology is inherently racist.
You said “God’s promises to the Jewish nation still stand”. The promises do stand, but they stand through fulfillment by Jesus. Eph 3:4-6:
“In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”
i am so waiting for this movie just dont know how to get the dvd please help
We are the wild olive branch grafted into the true olive branch…..not Judaism grafted into Anglo Saxon Christianity.