Onward Christian Soldiers

For fifteen years journalist Freke Vuijst has followed the growth of the Religious Right from a small special interest group to a major force in American politics. She first came across them in 1980 when several fledging conservative Christian organizations held a training session on the art of influencing government. For the next fifteen years Vuijst followed the rise of the Religious Right in periodic reports for a Dutch ecumenical broadcasting company. In Onward Christian Soldiers, the interplay of religion and politics is never observed neutrally. The film maker grew up in Holland as the daughter of a minister who preached politics from the pulpit. As a journalist in America, religion was one of her beats. Using her own footage, and narrating the film, Vuijst shows how the Religious Right evolved from a fringe group to a political power house.

Director: Freke Vuijst
55 min – 1996

Festival Screenings:
Columbus International Film & Video Festival – Bronze Plaque
Windy City Documentary Film Festival – Finalist
Northampton Film Festival
Troubadours Festival

Reviews:
“Definitely biased and potentially controversial, this is an intriguing choice
for open-minded viewers.” – Booklist