How did the United States of America come to be?
If you think back to your American History class in school (for those of us living in the U.S., that is), you might recall some of the steps that led to the founding of the United States. The Boston Tea Party. Battles of Lexington and Concord. The Declaration of Independence.
But you may not be aware of a bevy of subtler events in American history that proved just as important to the formation of the United States as those listed above.
For instance, would America even exist if not for George Washington’s fortuitous case of—and subsequent immunity from—smallpox? Or a sudden, localized fog that shielded the Continental Army’s seemingly doomed retreat across New York’s East River?
Events like those beg this question: Was the creation of America simply a product of an improbable string of coincidences and lucky breaks?
The American Miracle has another explanation for all those chances of fate: the providence of God.
The American Miracle is a documentary that dramatizes many of the historical events it covers. In those reenactments, we see remarkable acts of courage and sacrifice. George Washington, a central focus of this film, puts his life on the line to inspire his weary and outmatched soldiers. And we learn that Martha Washington would often attend to the sick and wounded in her husband’s army.
The film emphasizes the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence: “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” And it explores the impact those words have on those who hear them, particularly people of color. One such example is Elizabeth Freeman, a slave who won her freedom by arguing in court that slavery was incompatible with the Massachusetts State Constitution, itself influenced by the Declaration of Independence. Freeman’s victory paved the way for other such suits and helped lead to the end of slavery in Massachusetts.
We hear that Abigail Adams, the wife of founding father John Adams, believed all people deserved to experience the fullness of freedom and democracy. Additionally, she advocated for women’s rights.
Elsewhere in the narrative, two opposing generals agree on terms to avoid a bloody battle.
The American Miracle argues convincingly that the many improbable events that led to America’s creation and rise to global power were the direct result of divine providence. Several events in American history are linked to the intervention of God, from George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River to John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both passing away on July 4th, 1826, 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
George Washington and others credit God’s providential care for preserving themselves and their country throughout the years. We see Washington praying in a time of distress at Valley Forge. We hear that he knew the Bible well and attended church with his family.
A professor speaks on the dichotomy of humanity’s dignity and depravity, saying, “We’re deeply fallen, sinful creatures, but are made in the image of God.” Other references are made to humanity’s sin nature.
The film’s narrator says that there have been “plentiful signs of God’s continued collaboration in the American miracle.” Elsewhere, it’s said that America “clearly had a special providential purpose.”
A beam of sunlight following a man’s passing is likened to a divinely appointed benediction. In a speech, an orator mentions the “world of spirits.” A Native American leader says the Great Spirit moves him to speak in the “voice of prophecy.” America’s Founding Fathers are referred to by Thomas Jefferson as “demigods.” There is a mention of the city of Babel. A pastor preaches from his pulpit.
Reference is made to the “Men Have Forgotten God” speech of Russian author and historian Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. A lawyer references the Golder Rule and says he tries to follow it “as best he can.” (From what we see of his actions, his self-assessment seems genuine.)
A dying soldier passes along a letter to be given to his wife. A husband and wife speak affectionately to each other. We see a historical photograph of a poster referencing Adolf Hitler’s “love life.”
Many of the events covered in The American Miracle take place during America’s early conflicts, such as the Revolutionary War as well as the French and Indian Wars. Dramatized scenes depict soldiers shooting muskets at each other. The violence we witness is relatively tame, and those soldiers who are shot fall bloodlessly to the ground.
The one exception involves the death of a British commander, who is shot through the eye. We see a quick spray of blood and a brief glimpse of the bloody wound.
A woman strikes her slave with a fireplace shovel, still hot from the flames. We don’t see that assault directly, but we do hear the confrontation. Later, we glimpse a painful-looking burn scar on the victim’s arm.
We hear of the offscreen deaths and suffering of American soldiers. In the wake of an ambush, we see (again, without much evidence of blood) dead bodies. A woman says her husband, a soldier, paid the “ultimate price.”
Someone with smallpox coughs into a bloody handkerchief.
None.
A doctor uses laudanum, an opiate, to ease a patient’s discomfort. Native Americans smoke a pipe. Men celebrate and toast victory with their tankards in a tavern. Another group of men toast with and drink wine.
We are told that many of the Founding Fathers made concessions on slavery in order to unite the country. George Washington is called a “man of destiny.” Historical photos show examples of segregation.
Someone suggests that many historical pillars of our culture’s vitality—the press and judiciary; our nation’s political, educational and judicial systems—have all now become untrustworthy.
The American Miracle, based on Michael Medved’s 2016 book of the same name, is a patriotic documentary about God’s direct influence in the formation of the United States. It emphasizes the “Invisible Hand that conducts the affairs of men,” as George Washington put it. The film covers several remarkable stories centered around America’s founding, with the clear, connective message that God was (and is) at work.
And while I felt some of the dramatized portions of the story were a little stiff, the end result is a docudrama that should please history buffs and people of faith alike. A few intense moments might warrant caution for the youngest viewers. But for everyone else, The American Miracle could serve as a thoughtful catalyst for conversations about God’s role in the history of our country.
Bret loves a good story—be it a movie, show, or video game—and enjoys geeking out about things like plot and story structure. He has a blast reading and writing fiction and has penned several short stories and screenplays. He and his wife love to kayak the many beautiful Colorado lakes with their dog.
