For decades there has been a constant relentless meme from Social Conservatives that Hollywood elites have been engaged in a subversive cultural war against the religious values of the majority of Americans. They point to such films as The Miracle Woman, Elmer Gantry, Inherit the Wind, The Night of the Hunter, Agnes of God, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Name of the Rose, Priest, The Magdalene Sisters, Carrie, The Boys of St. Vincent, Life of Brian, Dogma, Wiseblood, Heaven, The Meaning of Life, Bad Dreams, Heaven Help Us, Silent Hill, Deliver Us From Evil, The Golden Compass, Saved, Leap of Faith, There Will Be Blood, and Religulous, as evidentiary documentation for this case. But there are several sterling counter-examples throughout the years which challenge this assertion. These heroic movies have stood the test of time.  These films directly herald courageous persons of faith and integrity, and vilify the secular political authorities persecuting their deep commitment to principle. Four of the most outstanding are The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima, The Song of Bernadette, The Fugitive, and For Greator Glory. The first two are presented below:

Three excellent follow-up books related to these subjects are Earthly Powers: The Clash of Religion and Politics in Europe, from the French Revolution to the Great War, Sacred Causes: The Clash of Religion and Politics, from the Great War to the War on Terror, and The Catholic Martyrs of the Twentieth Century: A Comprehensive World History.

The Best of Charles Burris