Prayer in America

According to a Gallup Research poll, over 80% of Americans say daily prayers. Inspired by James P. Moore Jr.'s book One Nation Under God: The History of Prayer in America, this documentary looks at the ubiquity of prayer in a religiously diverse nation, exploring the place of prayer throughout American history in social and political movements (including the controversy over school prayer), while also offering examples of how various religions come together publicly to pray in times of national crisis. A thoughtful, well-scripted production, Prayer in America combines comments from clergy, academics, and members of representative organizations, interwoven with archival footage and quotations illustrating the speakers' points. A production of the John Templeton Foundation (motto: “How little we know, how eager to learn”), this public-television-aired documentary is an absorbing study that should provide material for both discussion and personal reflection. Recommended. Aud: P. (J. Reed)