In the U.S., faith and politics make strange bedfellows. Ralph Benmergui’s new series God Bless America looks at the highly charged relationship between church and state

Premieres Jan. 19 on VisionTV

“Why are 50 million Americans making Jesus Christ their commander in chief?” – Host Ralph Benmergui in Episode One of God Bless America

“If Jesus were the commander in chief, would there be poverty in the United States?” – Cathryn Hazouri, American Civil Liberties Union

Is God an American?

U.S. politicians invoke the Almighty so often that it’s hard not to picture his robed and bearded personage behind the mighty desk in the Oval Office. When did it become obligatory for Presidents to end every speech with the words “God bless America”? Why do so many Americans believe that their country enjoys the Lord’s special favour?

These are questions that have long fascinated award-winning Canadian broadcast journalist Ralph Benmergui. In God Bless America, a new six-part documentary series for VisionTV, he visits our southern neighbour to learn how and why religious faith has come to play such an important role in the political life of the United States.

VisionTV presents God Bless America on Mondays, starting Jan. 19 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The program’s premiere is part of a series of special broadcasts on faith and politics, marking the Jan. 20 inauguration of President Barack Obama.

God Bless America is written and hosted by Ralph Benmergui, and directed by Allan Novak – the same creative team that produced the acclaimed world premiere series Ralph Benmergui: My Israel and 5 Seekers for VisionTV.

The American Constitution may separate church and state, but in practice that dividing line is often hard to discern. Indeed, it is almost impossible to imagine Americans electing a president who professes no religious faith.

The 50-million-strong Evangelical Christian movement, in particular, has exercised enormous influence over U.S. policy on everything from stem cell research to relations with Israel. However, the ascension of Barack Obama may signal a decline in the political power of the Christian right.

In God Bless America, Ralph Benmergui travels across the United States – from the Virginia campus of America’s most important Evangelical university, to the streets of Denver during the Democratic National Convention – to meet the men and women who are at the heart of the religious debate within American political life.

Benmergui encounters a remarkable array of individuals on his journey – from punk rock evangelists to Muslim hip-hoppers, radical atheists to born-again teenagers – and discovers that the relationship between church and state in the U.S. is even more complex, and more emotionally charged, than most Canadians imagine.

God Bless America is presented by Seekers Television and VisionTV. Allan Novak and Ralph Benmergui are the Executive Producers. Joan Jenkinson is the Executive Producer for VisionTV.

For more information on VisionTV programming, please visit www.visiontv.ca.

God Bless America – Episode Guide
NOTE: Episodes One and Two of God Bless America air back-to-back on Monday, Jan. 19.

“You dare not replace Jesus with the American flag.” – Tony Campolo, author of Red Letter Christians: A Citizen’s Guide to Faith and Politics

“If you’re not ready [to come to Christ], you’re not ready. But if you’re ripe fruit, we’re going to help pick it.” – Christian Evangelist Linda Roller 

“The Evangelical Right – Part One”
Monday, Jan. 19, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Now 50 million strong, the Christian right has become one of America’s most influential voting blocs. That troubles author Chris Hedges (American Fascists), who warns that Christian Evangelicals are bent on creating a theocracy in the U.S. Has the Evangelical movement gone too far in its bid for political power? To answer that question, host Ralph Benmergui dines at the home of one of the country’s most prominent Christian lobbyists, and visits the Lynchburg, VA campus of Liberty University, a school that was founded by religious right icon Jerry Falwell and is dedicated to grooming young people to take the fight for Christ into legislatures, schools and courtrooms.

“The Evangelical Right – Part Two”
Monday, Jan. 19, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
Does God belong in the classroom? Many Evangelicals would argue that the U.S., under the guise of tolerance, has become increasingly anti-Christian, and are fighting to get subjects like “intelligent design” onto school curricula. But civil libertarians and scientists oppose their bid for the hearts and minds of tomorrow’s students. In this episode, host Ralph Benmergui meets men and women on both sides of the debate, from a former teacher who was forced to defend her faith in science against pressure from creationists, to a pair of fresh-faced teenage twins in Kentucky who battled to keep Christian prayer a part of their high school graduation ceremony.

“The Evangelical Left”
Monday, Jan. 26, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Thanks to the Republican Party’s relentless efforts to court American Evangelicals, the term “Christian left” has become something of an oxymoron. Is it possible even to use the words “progressive” and “Evangelical” in the same sentence? In this episode, host Ralph Benmergui talks to Americans whose liberal politics go hand in hand with their Christian faith: from “punk evangelist” Jay Bakker (the son of disgraced televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker), whose Revolution Church in Brooklyn supports the rights of gays and lesbians, to Father Mike Gonzalez of St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Los Angeles, who stands up for illegal immigrants, to Tony Campolo of Philadelphia’s Eastern University, an Evangelical who works to find common ground with progressives, because, as he says, “Christians should be in both parties.”

“No, Not That God”
Monday, Feb. 2, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
In the United States today, 87 percent of the population identifies itself as Christian. But what about the other 13 percent? Are the gods they worship American, too? And what of atheists? Do their beliefs – or the absence thereof – count for anything? Should Christian faith be allowed to shape U.S. policy on secular issues such as international AIDS relief? In this episode, host Ralph Benmergui meets Arab-American rappers, secular humanists, progressive Jews, radical non-believers and others – including America’s first and only Muslim Congressman – who are fighting for a place in their country’s marketplace of ideas.

“The Dominionists”
Monday, Feb. 9, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Christian Evangelicals have a single goal: salvation. They believe that Jesus will return one day – soon, perhaps – to build his kingdom on earth. In this theology, the return of the Jews to their ancestral homeland is key to bringing about the End of Days (a belief that has created a strange, combustible alliance between so-called “Christian Zionists” and the State of Israel). In this episode, host Ralph Benmergui considers the plans and motives of the Evangelical movement’s hard core: the “Dominionists,” who are busily paving the way for Christ’s return by striving to create a utopian theocracy in the United States. In Colorado Springs, a Mecca for the born-again movement, he investigates a notable skirmish in America’s clash between non-believers and Dominionists, in the form of one family’s battle against what they say is the pervasive influence of Evangelicals in the U.S. military.

“Conclusions”
Monday, Feb. 16, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
The election of Barack Obama seems like a clear signal that the political power of the Evangelical movement is on the wane. But the defeat of California’s gay marriage ballot initiative, Proposition 8, shows that the Christian right still wields considerable influence. In this final episode, host Ralph Benmergui checks out the famed Bikers for Jesus ministry, and asks Americans what the future holds for politics and religion in their country. Does God still bless America?

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God Bless America – The Team

Executive Producer/Director - Allan Novak

Allan Novak is an executive producer, director, writer and editor for film and television. His company, Indivisual Productions, has been creating innovative programming since 1999.

In 1999, Allan created the Gemini Award-winning Loving Spoonfuls, a docu-comedy series about grandmothers, for W Network. In 2002, he executive produced and directed The Joke’s on Us: 50 Years of CBC Satire (with host Leslie Nielsen), a 90-minute special that earned a Gemini nomination for direction. The following year, he executive produced The Joe Blow Show, a Gemini-nominated pilot for The Comedy Network, and co-created Second Time Around, a comedy-reality series for W Network. 

Allan’s credits as a director include Puppets Who Kill (The Comedy Network), Canada’s Worst Handyman (Discovery Channel), My Parent’s House (HGTV) and, for CBC, the programs CODCO, Comics!, Inside The Newsroom and It's Only Rock and Roll. Other directing credits include CBC's Life and Times, Global’s Heart of Courage, and segments for the Gemini and Genie Awards.

Allan is recognized as one of Canada’s leading editors. He is responsible for editing most of writer-director Ken Finkleman’s internationally acclaimed CBC television series, including The Newsroom (which was awarded a Gemini for best editing), More Tears, Foolish Heart, Foreign Objects and Married Life. His editing credits also include the premiere season of Kids in the Hall for Broadway Video/HBO/CBC.

In 2006-2007, Allan created and produced Punched Up, a hybrid comedy-reality series for The Comedy Network, and the spiritual documentary programs 5 Seekers and Guides and Gurus for VisionTV. 5 Seekers garnered a Gemini nomination for Best Reality Series.

Executive Producer/Writer/Host – Ralph Benmergui

Ralph Benmergui is an award-winning broadcaster with more than 30 years of professional experience, both as a performer and journalist and as a radio and television producer. 

After a 20-year career with the CBC as a journalist and interviewer, Ralph followed his love of music to Toronto’s JAZZ.FM91, where he currently hosts Benmergui in The Morning. He also runs his own production company, Blue Fez Productions.

Ralph partnered with Allan Novak and Indivisual Productions to create the Gemini Award-nominated program 5 Seekers and its companion series Guides and Gurus for VisionTV. Their five-part series, Ralph Benmergui: My Israel premiered on VisionTV in May 2008.