Journey Films

13/06/2025

Walter Brueggemann, one of the most respected Biblical scholars over the last century, passed away on June 5th. Brueggemann appears in two of our recent films, "Sabbath" and "Spiritual Audacity." Filmmaker Martin Doblmeier talks with religion professor Zack Plantak about Brueggemann's legacy and why his work will be remembered.

This is "Conversation with Zack Plantak" by Journey Films on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

08/04/2025

We're back! We had some issues with our video rental page but all the Journey films are back up and available to watch! Check out our Journey On Demand page.

  Journey on Demand    Prophetic Voices SERIES revolution of the heart: the dorothy day story the power of forgiveness Taize: That little Springtime Thomas Jefferson: A view from the Mountain SPIRITUAL AUDACITY: the abraham joshua heschel story backs Against the wall: the howard thurman story An ...

09/01/2025

Today, America honors one of its most remarkable icons – global humanitarian, Nobel Peace Laureate, tireless public servant, and 39th President – Jimmy Carter. I had the privilege of meeting President Carter several times – the last meeting by far the most meaningful.

In 2016 I invited the former president to be interviewed for a documentary film we were producing on Reinhold Niebuhr – often considered America’s great public theologian. President Carter read Niebuhr and admired him. He often spoke of Niebuhr publicly. So with some confidence we extended Carter the invitation to be interviewed for what became "An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story." To our great surprise, he accepted.

The interview took place at his Carter Center in Atlanta, hallowed ground for those of us who admire the vexing work of peacemaking in our volatile world. I was joined that day by our small crew, and Andrew Finstuen and Jeremy Sabella who served as producers and consultants on the film.

There was something immediately authentic yet almost self-effacing about Mr. Carter. Despite being in his 90s and round-shouldered, he entered the room with confidence, shook hands with a firm grip, looked me in the eyes and sat in the pre-lit interview chair. He was focused and graciousthroughout our 40-minute conversation. He didn’t use the moment to advance his own legacy as most aging public figures are often prone to do. Instead he was honest and forthcoming about his struggles in the White House and the role Niebuhr played.

“Niebuhr was always present in my mind in a very practical way,” as he said in that famous Carter drawl. “Particularly when I was President and facing the constant threat of a nuclear war which would have destroyed the world.”

The Carter obituaries will highlight how during his presidential years the nation suffered under crippling inflation, how his Camp David Accords proved short lived, and how he was vexed for over a year by the Iran hostage crisis. We will be reminded how he was soundly defeated for re-election by Ronald Reagan – launching a new era of Christian conservatism in politics.

But we cannot ignore how the man who rose from Plains, GA, who taught Sunday School his entire life, may be our greatest example of what an ex-President is capable of accomplishing. His marriage to Rosalynn was rock steady, his faith in a loving God ever present. But he was also keenly aware of our human capacity to disappoint. In religious language - to sin. And that insight is pure Reinhold Niebuhr.

In our interview Mr. Carter added: “One of the things Niebuhr thought was the greatest origin of sinfulness was pride, self-ego and absence of consideration of your own fallibilities and potential for mistakes.” Carter made mistakes and those mistakes cost him politically. But he dedicated his 40+ post-presidency years to making the world a better, safer place and proving there is a difference between power and authority. While president, Carter had power and historians will debate how effective he was at wielding it. In later years, his personal character and sense of Christian virtue engendered an undeniable authority and that he used for good.

In November 1980 Carter suffered a humiliating defeat in his bid for re-election. Democracy spoke. But he turned defeat into an entirely new chapter through his Carter Center where among his many efforts, he helped over 40 countries overcome corruption, prioritize basic human rights and find a path toward genuine democracy. Through that newly created initiative he flourished in a way that will stand the test of time – earning him a Nobel Prize for Peace. In an ironic twist of fate, President Carter proved in a global sense Niebuhr’s classic saying;

“Man’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible.
Man’s capacity for injustice makes democracy necessary.”

Martin Doblmeier

30/12/2024

Don't miss our best deal on DVDs ever! You can still get 2-for-1 on our Prophetic Voices DVD and FREE US SHIPPING on the entire site!

No codes needed. Only valid until midnight on 12/31.

This Special Collection of 5 award-winning documentary films includes: "BONHOEFFER" - profiling the young German theologian who joined the plots to kill Adolf Hi**er; "An American Conscience - The Reinhold Niebuhr Story" about America's great public theologian, "Backs Agains

23/12/2024

Today we remember Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who passed away on this date in 1972. To learn more about Rabbi Heschel and his fascinating life, you can check out our documentary at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/abrahamheschel

28/11/2024

This holiday give the gift of inspiring stories...
Five award-winning feature length documentary films
from filmmaker Martin Doblmeier in a single DVD collection

FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY: RECEIVE 2 COMPLETE PROPHETIC VOICES COLLECTIONS - ONE TO KEEP AND ONE TO GIVE AWAY FOR ONLY $19.95 and FREE SHIPPING for the holidays on ALL US orders!

No codes needed. Order one PROPHETIC VOICES and another will be sent automatically.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Howard Thurman, Reinhold Niebuhr, Dorothy Day and Abraham Joshua Heschel - names that embody the prophetic voice and moral courage needed in a time of conflict and uncertainty - a time much like our own.

All five films have aired nationwide on PBS stations to great acclaim. All five films have won major awards and continue to be widely discussed. All five films belong in your family, school, congregation or seminary collection.

Order today at https://www.journeyfilms.com/store/p/prophetic-voices-dvd-set-1

20/08/2024

SAN BERNARDINO, CA - Join San Bernardino Community SDA Church THIS WEEKEND (August 23-24) for the next Festival of Sabbath! Check out the video below for more information.

The Sabbath is Made for Me

04/07/2024

Happy 4th! Check out this conversation between historian Thomas Kidd and filmmaker Martin Doblmeier.

The Declaration of Independence - voted on by the Continental Congress on July 2, 1776 and signed July 4th, was the boldest statement of human rights and ind...

17/06/2024

Now available on YouTube! Watch Creativity: Touching the Divine in its entirety for FREE! Featuring author Madeleine L'Engle, sculptor Frederick Hart and glass harpist Jamey Turner.

Creativity: Touching the Divine (1996) brings together artists and non-artists who have experienced the joyful tandem of spirituality and creativity. Viewers...

22/05/2024

Missed any of the Sabbath interviews from our newsletter? Follow our YouTube channel for conversations with Brian McLaren, Eboo Patel, Shai Held and more!

Brian McLaren is a best selling author, popular speaker and a leading figure in the emerging church movement. He is affiliated with the Center for Action and...

17/04/2024

Journey Films is pleased to announce that SABBATH has won two awards.

First is the 2024 Wilbur Award for the Best in Broadcast Television (Long Form). The Wilbur Award is given annually by the Religion Communicators Council and honors the best in secular media in "communicating faith and religion – with fairness and professionalism, honesty and respect."

The Christopher Award, now in its 75th year, celebrates "resilience, faith and our 'better angels.' The well known motto of The Christophers is: "It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness." SABBATH won for Best in TV, Cable and Streaming.

We are grateful to the Religion Communicators Council and The Christophers for the recognition!

12/04/2024

SABBATH is an expansive look at the Commandment to "rest" and "keep holy the Lord's Day" across religions and cultures throughout America. A panel discussion follows the on-campus screening of the documentary.

Join us in person Wednesday, April 17, 2024, 6:30 p.m.

REGISTRATION: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sabbath-a-screening-and-discussion-tickets-862407844077?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Journey Films Virginia Theological Seminary