THE AMERICAN MIRACLE

Name: THE AMERICAN MIRACLE
Item: THE AMERICAN MIRACLE
Author: Review

"The Miracles of God’s Providence"

Family Content: +3 Some minor questionable elements. (Media-wisdom is suggested to discuss.)

Entertainment Quality:

	None	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Language
Violence
Sex
Nudity

Credits →

Watch:

What You Need To Know:

THE AMERICAN MIRACLE focuses on America’s founding from the start of the Revolutionary War to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The movie follows George Washington and his leadership during the War for Independence. It brings viewers through his younger years, showing events leading up to him becoming Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. Time and time again, he and his troops miraculously escaped destruction. The movie ends with a re-enactment of the Constitutional Convention and a call for prayer by Benjamin Franklin.

THE AMERICAN MIRACLE tells an amazing, informative story about the founding of the United States and the leadership of George Washington. It has a strong Christian, biblical, patriotic worldview stressing Divine Providence, miracles and prayer. Though God’s Providence is the main theme, the movie couches that theme in a strong acceptance of the miraculous. THE AMERICAN MIRACLE shows that prayer was important to General Washington. Miraculously, an impasse at the Constitutional Convention was broken when Benjamin Franklin suggested to the delegates that their efforts were bound to fail unless they made God and prayer the central focus.

Content:

(BBB, CCC, PPP, H, RH, V, A, D, M):

Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:

Very strong Christian, biblical, patriotic worldview stresses Divine Providence, miracles and prayer, one historian falsely refers to the Enlightenment and tries to explain away the miraculous coincidences, but he’s not convincing;

Foul Language:

No obscenities or profanities;

Violence:

Some gunfire, battles scenes and explosions during scenes of warfare with men falling wounded or dead;

Sex:

No sex;

Nudity:

No nudity;

Alcohol Use:

Two instances of people drinking around a campfire and at a political gathering;

Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:

One instance of a person smoking from a pipe, but no drugs; and,

Miscellaneous Immorality:

There are some instances where people are bitter/argue, one instance shows the British are being rude/aggressive, and there are scenes where the delegates at the Constitutional Convention debate and argue.

More Detail:

THE AMERICAN MIRACLE is a documentary about the founding of America and the providential miracles that happened along the way. Michael Medved hosts the movie, based on his book, which consists of a series of historical re-enactments, while a handful of historians provide commentary. The movie follows the improbable history of the young nation, starting with the background of George Washington and ending with the writing of the United States Constitution.

The movie starts out during the 50th anniversary of America’s independence, on July 4, 1826. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams are on their deathbeds. While they had their arguments, they were able to see the appreciation that the people had for what they and the other Founding Fathers had created. Both of them die that day, in a coincidence that many people see as another example of Divine Providence in the history of the young republic.

The movie cuts back to the early years of George Washington, beginning with his career as a surveyor. The first providential event was when he contracted smallpox while visiting Barbados with his older half-brother, Lawrence in 1751. The disease allowed him to build up immunity so he never caught the disease during the American Revolution. The second providential event was when a Native American guiding him back to Virginia from a mission to a French fort on the frontier tried to shoot Washington. Th guide misses, but Washington let the guide go. He and his friend had to flee the snowy wilderness, camping overnight without fire. They managed to survive, and this led to George Washington’s story being published in the papers. That is how he got to join more expeditions for the British during the French and Indian War.

From there, the movie follows Washington through the French and Indian War, then follows him and the other Founding Fathers as they wage the War for Independence. Time after time, Washington and his troops escape destruction in a series of providential miracles. In between the wars, 1770, a Native American chief prophesied that Washington cannot be killed in war and would eventually lead a great nation. The movie ends with a presentation of the debates at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, including a discussion of the issue of slavery and the issue of equality under the law.

THE AMERICAN MIRACLE tells an amazing, informative story about the founding of the United States and the leadership of George Washington. It has a strong Christian, biblical, patriotic worldview stressing Divine Providence, miracles and prayer. Though God’s Providence is the main theme, the movie couches that theme in a strong acceptance of the miraculous. THE AMERICAN MIRACLE also shows that prayer was important to General Washington. Also, it shows that an impasse at the Constitutional Convention was broken when Benjamin Franklin suggested to the delegates that their efforts were bound to fail unless they made God and prayer the central focus.