Students at Liberty University, founded by Rev. Jerry Falwell, are producing a film focused on Trump’s presidency being divinely foretold.
Dozens of students and a number of staff members at Liberty University will be collaborating on a movie: The Trump Prophecy. The film tells the story of Florida firefighter Mark Taylor, who says that God told him that Donald Trump would become president. Taylor made his testimony into a book with a Christian publishing house.
Liberty Students work on Christian based films as a part of career-devlopment-training. They make one film a year in partnership with outside film companies, according to the Christian Post. Previous films have included: Extraordinary, the story of a Christian couple running a marathon together.
The Trump Prophecy is funded and produced by Charlotte-based ReelWorks Studios, with a budget of about $2 million.
Over the past few years, Jerry Falwell Jr.’s strong support for Trump has often put him at odds with faculty and the university’s students. Last year, an anti-Trump pastor taken off campus after coming to pray with students.
Hot Water With Traditional Base
The idea that Trump is a prophesied figure, puts Liberty University in some hot water with their tradition Baptist base. Prophesy is more likely associated with the more Charismatic arm of evangelicalism. Placing Trump in this light compares him to the Persian King Cyrus in the Bible.
The head of the university’s Cinematic Arts department, Stephan Schultze, told the Christian Post that the film is not political, but rather a celebration of the power of prayer and Christian faith. “[People] have come together in the recognition that those prayers have value and build community and build a strong bond that allows for a president like Donald Trump to be elected. It created a bond within the Christian community,” Schultze said.
Film Work Completely Voluntary
Liberty has stressed that the film work is completely voluntary.
“Liberty University’s School of Cinematic Arts is collaborating with a prominent filmmaker on a movie based on the book The Trump Prophecies. While the university sees this as an excellent opportunity for film students to gain real world experience, students’ participation in this film is voluntary. No student is being forced to work on this film. Those who choose not to have already been told they can work on other projects with no impact to their grades or to their progress toward graduation.”
The film is currently in postproduction and will be released in the Fall.
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