DVD review

'Our Story' unlocks Virginia's religious liberty history

The Center for Baptist History & Heritage in Richmond, Va., recently released “Our Story,” a 20-minute DVD narrated by Fred Anderson, executive director of the organization, which chronicles the storied history of the Culpepper jail in Virginia and the struggle of Baptists during the 18th century in that state to secure religious liberty. The DVD was designed as a resource for churches to teach about religious liberty.

In the new release, Fred Anderson holds a lock and key in his hand from the Culpepper jail that housed 14 Baptists imprisoned for fighting for religious liberty.

In a piece included on the DVD, Anderson writes of the key, “In England, the shrine for religious liberty is in Bedford, where on view is the jail door which imprisoned John Bunyan. The Culpepper lock and key is America’s trophy.” Famed religious liberty advocate James Ireland was warned that if preached in Culpepper he would be imprisoned. Anderson notes Ireland’s diary entry in which he writes, “I sat down and counted the cost. Freedom or prison? It admitted of no dispute. Having ventured all upon Christ, I determine to suffer all for him.”

The DVD also includes several other resources to assist churches in teaching about religious liberty. It includes lesson plans for adult study groups, a sermon by William Powell Tuck, a paper on James Ireland to help understand his contribution to the movement, several articles by Anderson on the topic of religious liberty, and a lesson for teaching the principle of religious liberty to children.

Although historical in content, the DVD is quite relevant today as it provides church leaders with the opportunity to discuss current religious liberty issues with members of their congregations. And though focused on the contributions of Virginia Baptists, this DVD serves well as an educational tool to be used by churches across the country to teach about the work of Baptists in one state to secure religious liberty for all.

The entire collection of materials is offered for $15 plus shipping and handling. “Our Story” can be obtained by writing the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies at P.O. Box 34, University of Richmond, Richmond, Va., 23173 or calling 804-289-8434.

— Phallan Davis