Theaters, Channel to Show Historic Film about Lutherans, Civil Rights

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Special showings of "A Time for Burning"
in Nebraska and New York will coincide with its broadcast on
the Documentary Channel. "A Time for Burning" is a landmark
civil rights film featuring the struggles of Augustana Lutheran
Church, Omaha, Neb., in 1965, and its pastor, the Rev. L.
William Youngdahl.
The 58-minute black-and-white documentary, produced and
released in 1966 by Lutheran Film Associates, was reissued on
DVD in 2005 by Docurama Films. "A Time for Burning" was added
to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in
2006 as part of a library of more than 400 selected films
preserved for their cultural, historic and artistic
significance.
The documentary's producer-director, William C. Jersey,
will be on hand for screenings Oct. 17 at the University of
Nebraska, College of Journalism, Lincoln; Oct. 18 at the Ruth
Sokolof Theater, Omaha; and Oct. 20 at the Academy Theater at
Lighthouse International in Manhattan, New York. Jersey is
to take part in a discussion with the audiences following the
screenings. A special interfaith worship service commemorates
the film Oct. 19 at Augustana Lutheran Church.
The Documentary Channel will show the film at 8, 9 and 11
p.m. EDT on Oct. 20. The channel is available in Denver,
Nashville, New York and via satellite on the DISH Network.
Lutheran Film Associates (LFA), an organization of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod, was established in 1952. Begun by the
United Lutheran Church in America and the National Lutheran
Council, LFA released its first motion picture, "Martin
Luther," in 1953.
Robert E.A. Lee, Baldwin, N.Y., was LFA director from 1954
to 1988 and executive producer of "A Time for Burning." He
said the documentary was to be "a visual aid" to help Lutherans
respond as responsible Christians to the racial tensions of the
1960s. "Little did we then realize that we would be led to the
right congregation in Omaha, who dared risk its life with
cameras looking on, and led to the right creative filmmakers,
Quest Productions with its director, Bill Jersey," Lee said.
"While all of the major networks were invited to show the
film, only the public broadcast TV stations agreed to show it.
The commercial networks gave as their reason for turning it
down the fact that they didn't produce it themselves and
therefore were not in control. It may have been euphemistic
language for its 'being too controversial,'" Lee said.
"I am surprised that the issue remains relevant even
though the specific issues themselves may have changed," Lee
added.
"A Time for Burning" chronicles the work of Pastor
Youngdahl, who spurred his all-white congregation into action.
In the story Youngdahl tries to get the congregation to reach
out to African American Lutherans. Jersey captured Youngdahl's
efforts in the early days of the civil rights movement.
Another prominent character in "A Time for Burning" is
Ernie Chambers -- a local barber who challenged Youngdahl
and other white Lutherans to confront racism. Chambers
retired from the Nebraska Legislature in April 2008 after
serving 38 years as a state senator.
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Information about "A Time for Burning" is at
http://tinyurl.com/c7lte on the Web.

Information about Lutheran Film Associates is at
http://www.lutheranfilm.org on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog