A church destroyed. A congregation silenced. A relationship shattered. Yet even in life's darkest valleys, a small flame can light the way toward healing and hope.
That's the plot and the promise of GOD'S NOT DEAD: A LIGHT IN DARKNESS, from Pure Flix, the largest independent faith and family film studio in the world. When a deadly fire rips through St. James Church, devastating the congregation and Reverend Dave (David A.R. White), adjoining Hadleigh University uses the tragedy to try and kick the house of worship off campus. Battle lines are quickly drawn between the small church and the community, pitting Rev. Dave against his longtime friend Thomas Ellsworth (Ted McGinley), the university president, while further estranging college student Keaton (Samantha Boscarino), a member of St. James' campus ministry, from the Christian faith she has come to question.
Facing a court case and his own struggle to see Christ's light in heartbreak, Rev. Dave asks for help from his estranged brother Pearce (John Corbett), a big-city lawyer turned atheist, to fight for his brother's church to rebuild. The family reunion opens old wounds, as the brothers wrestle with the questions that pulled them apart years ago: Is God really good all the time? Where is God when bad things happen? Can Christ really heal the brokenhearted? Even while grappling with these personal issues, Rev. Dave must face another dilemma, turning to his former protégé Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper) for wisdom in answering the thorniest practical question before him: Can Christians fight for their rights and still be a loving example for Christ at the same time?
These questions aren't just at the core of the film - they're at the forefront of society, notes actor David A.R. White. "In our culture right now there is a lot of fighting going on. Whether you're a Democrat or Republican, left side, ride side, nobody seems to be able to get along and there's a lot of dissention," he says. "So we wanted to shine a light on this, but in a GOD'S NOT DEAD way: filled with hope and healing and forgiveness."
GOD'S NOT DEAD: A LIGHT IN DARKNESS stars David A.R. White (GOD'S NOT DEAD, REVELATION ROAD), John Corbett (MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, ALL SAINTS), Ted McGinley (DO YOU BELIEVE?, Married.with Children), Shane Harper (GOD'S NOT DEAD, Good Luck Charlie), Jennifer Taylor (Two and a Half Men), Benjamin Onyango (GOD'S NOT DEAD, GOD'S NOT DEAD 2), Gregory Alan Williams (REMEMBER THE TITANS, Greenleaf), with special appearances by gospel legend Dr. Cissy Houston (mother of the late chart-topping superstar Whitney Houston) and Academy Award® winner Tatum O'Neal (PAPER MOON, THE BAD NEWS BEARS). The film is written and directed by Michael Mason, and produced by Michael Scott, David A.R. White, Elizabeth Travis, Alysoun Wolfe, and Bittany Yost.