A Time for Burning

A Time for Burning is an American documentary from the year 1966.

Action

Rev. William Youngdahl is the new pastor of the Lutheran Augustana church community in Omaha. His attempts to improve relations with its white medium-sized church with adjacent black churches, meet resistance. Senator Ernie Chambers predicts the apathy of the whites and the suspicions of the blacks, which frustrated Youngdahl. Nevertheless, he makes a series of informal visits to the communities.

He finds support in the attorney Ted Backstrom, the chairman of the Church's Welfare Committee. The church member Ray Christensen, however, feared that the integration of blacks could split the church. The couple Zimmerman, church school teachers, organize visits to Kalvin Presbyterian Memorial Church. The black youth respond with visits in turn, resulting in the community to controversy.

During the visit the couple's Person of the Lutheran Church of Hope, Youngdahl is pointed out that his predecessors who advocated for the integration of blacks were forced to abandon their office. The declining number of church-goers brings Youngdahl to resign.

Criticism

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops spoke of an exceptional documentary, a moving document.

Awards

1968, the film was nominated in the category Best Documentary Oscar. He was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2005.

Background

For the first time the film was released on October 17, 1966 on U.S. television on channel NET Journal. The movie premiere was held in New York on 23 February 1967.

The theatrical of the independent film took over the Lutheran Church in America.