1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture

This movie was so well done and the pill it offers may be hard for deeply religious people to swallow. It brings hope to many families who have ostracized children cousins, uncles and others because of this manipulation of the book that so many follow. I believe that this movie should be screened around the world. The specific use of words has always held a powerful magic in our history as humans. This movie shows the heart and spirit of the bigger story, the story of real people and real deeds. But most of all, it defeats the power play that has been shouted from many pulpits and ruined many lives. May the healing begin.

I just finished this movie. It was absolutely incredible as it followed three regular people who had a storied history with the Bible discover that translations are not always accurate. Very thoughtful, engaging, and hope-filled while exposing the impact of a mistranslation that literally shifted culture, as the title demonstrates. As I finish this movie, I grieve over whole denominations, families, and universities that have split over the treatment of our LGBTQ relatives. I recommend this movie to anyone who loves the Bible, hates the Bible, or has a storied history of the Bible. It will expand your perspective. Very well done.

You'd have to have your head in the sand to not have seen, lately, that the church is in tumult. From the Catholic Church and their sex scandals, deep inside of Protestantism with The Methodist Church, and through Evangelical Circles, the upheaval is live, and the world is watching it on Prime-Time Television.

This is especially true for the Evangelical church(es) as, for the first time since their arrival into the realm of Christendom - especially in America 150 years ago or so, they find themselves on the receiving end of scrutiny and public opinion.

What's one of the issues causing tremors? Gay folk. Or rather, LGBTQIA folk.

Over the course of several years, other documentaries have come out speaking about the effects of homophobia in the church. While those have been great films, what sets 1946 apart is their approach. The set out to not just talk about cause and effect of homophobia on folks who grew up in religion but to tackle an issue that has far more reaching implications beyond human sexuality. The error of Biblical Literalism.

Through the use of theologians, scholars, historians, and linguists, the "clobber" passages are opened up and examined thoroughly, carefully, even lovingly, amidst the backdrop of personal stories of the researchers who came to do the work.

1946 is a powerful film that is healing to those who've been hurt by bad theology in regard to human sexuality, a beacon of hope to the next generation of children coming up and asking themselves about God and what it means to be a human being, and a warning - a clear sign of the times- that this thing we call the Bible doesn't belong to any specific group or hierarchy. And it certainly doesn't belong to the powers that be inside these organizations to be used as a bludgeon.

This is a message Luther tried to make clear 500 years ago that, for whatever reason, needs to be reexplained.

I think 1946 is simply the beginning.

1946 was a very well made and informative documentary. It follows the stories of 3 people as they research how to be faithful to God and LGBTQ+ allies. I appreciate that the documentary specifically focused on being educational and reconciliatory over being aggressive and condemning. I'm currently working on some discussion questions but this is an excellent discussion starter. And while you won't come away knowing every single argument to the difficult Biblical passages they discuss, you will have a really good starting point. An encouraging, but also potentially triggering, watch for those who are exploring their religious and sexual identities. Personally, I've only been an ally for a few years and am struggling through my own church hurt and religious identity- and this was a hope filled watch. And it didn't have to be. I loved how they ended it. God loves you.

This documentary thought provokingly challenges us to think critically and discover the history behind the mistranslated Bible passages. So much of my life I've felt ashamed of who God made me to be and who I love. While I've deconstructed my faith over the years in so many ways, I still love God, but conflicted. I've always been so hurt by those passages in the Bible. This documentary puts into light the human error in the contemporary translations that have shunned so many LGBTQIA+ people from the church. If anything, this documentary reaffirmed my relationship with God. Through watching this, I've started exploring different aspects of faith. I ask questions and think more critically.