AP History teacher Grace Wesley (Melissa Joan Hart), a devout evangelical Christian, notices that one of her students, Brooke Thawley (Hayley Orrantia), is withdrawn following the recent accidental death of her brother. Involved in little more than her studies, Brooke notices Grace’s hope-filled attitude, and asks where Grace finds her optimism. Grace replies “Jesus”, and Brooke begins to read the Bible for herself.
As Grace lectures on Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., Brooke asks whether their peaceful teachings relate to the biblical account of the Sermon on the Mount. Grace responds in the affirmative, and relates parts of scripture to his teachings. One student immediately texts his parents about the class, and the ensuing backlash draws the ire of Principal Kinney (Robin Givens). She reprimands Grace, saying that the teacher’s faith clouded her judgment. Grace is subsequently brought before the School Board, who inform her that legal action will be taken against her as she has violated the separation of church and state. Grace’s case draws the attention of Tom Endler (Jesse Metcalfe), a young defense attorney who is willing to aid her despite being an unbeliever himself.
After speaking to his friend Josh, Martin Yip, a college student, visits Pastor David Hill (David A. R. White) to ask him several questions about God. Former left-wing blogger Amy Ryan goes to the hospital to check in on her cancer, only to find that it has miraculously vanished. She talks to Michael Tait of the Newsboys, who encourages her, stating that with faith, prayers can be answered. Amy ponders this, and later makes her blog a diary about her adventures with God.
The School Board brings Grace’s case before a judge in Little Rock, Arkansas, hoping to secure her termination and strip her of her teaching license unless she issues an apology, which Grace refuses to do. To Brooke’s horror, prosecutor Pete Kane (Ray Wise) declares that the lawsuit will “prove once and for all that God is dead”. His opening argument suggests that the society of the United States will crumble should Grace fail to be found guilty. Endler responds by stating that Grace was simply doing her job, and that the law separating church and state was written by Thomas Jefferson in an effort to protect the church, not persecute it.
God’s Not Dead 2 is a 2016 American Christian drama film, directed by Harold Cronk, and starring Melissa Joan Hart, Jesse Metcalfe, David A. R. White, Hayley Orrantia and Sadie Robertson. It is a sequel to the 2014 film God’s Not Dead, and focuses on a high school teacher facing a court case that could end her career, after having answered a student’s question about Jesus.
God’s Not Dead 2 was released on April 1, 2016. It was the final film role for Fred Dalton Thompson, who died in November 2015. The film was moderately successful at the box office, earning $24 million on a $5 million budget, though making for a total gross of almost a third of its predecessor. A sequel, entitled A Light in Darkness, was released in March 2018.
God’s Not Dead 2
Directed by: Harold Cronk
Starring: Jesse Metcalfe, David A.R. White, Ray Wise, Robin Givens, Hayley Orrantia, Melissa Joan Hart, Maria Canals-Barrera, Gianna Simone, Sadie Robertson
Screenplay by: Chuck Konzelman, Cary Solomon
Production Design by: Mitchell Crisp
Cinematography by: Brian Shanley
Film Editing by: Vance Null
Costume Design by: Cami Nemanich
Music by: Will Musser
MPAA Rating: PG for some thematic elements.
Studio: Pure Flix Entertainment
Release Date: April 1, 2016
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