Syracuse University hosts showing of award-winning film on Christianity, sexuality

Syracuse University hosts showing of award-winning film on Christianity, sexualityMarch 10, 2008Adrea Jaehniglgbt@syr.edu

The highly acclaimed film “For the BIBLE Tells Me So” will be screened on Wednesday, March 19, at 7 p.m. in Gifford Auditorium in H.B. Crouse Hall on the Syracuse University campus. This provocative, entertaining film offers healing, clarity and understanding to those caught in the crosshairs of biblical scripture and sexuality identity. Filmmaker Daniel Karslake will join faculty, staff and local community members for a panel discussion immediately following the film. The panel will be moderated by the Rev. Thomas V. Wolfe, dean of Hendricks Chapel.

Through the themes of faith, love and family, this film explores how five Christian American families handle, or sometimes tragically fail to handle, having a gay, lesbian or bisexual child. Tahlia Fischer, assistant professor in SU’s Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies, believes that the film is a must-see for students from a variety of religious backgrounds. “Whether LGBT individuals come from an African American Protestant background, Latino Catholic background, Asian-American Christian background or Caucasian Christian background, `For the BIBLE Tells Me So’ may provide insight for young people at Syracuse University and in the community who are struggling toward a positive sense of self and toward a conciliation of organized religion, faith and sexual identity,” she says.

Karslake is the award-winning producer for the highly acclaimed newsmagazine “In the Life,” which airs nationally on PBS. Karslake’s film was named Best Documentary at the Seattle International Film Festival in 2007 and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007. According to Margaret Himley, co-director of the Syracuse University Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Studies Program, “Andrew London and I, co-directors of the LGBT Studies Program and minor, are very pleased that we have this opportunity not only to screen this award-winning documentary, but also to talk with the filmmaker — and to engage questions of religion and sexuality with people from the campus and the community.

For many people, these issues have been painful, even shameful, and this screening and discussion offer a chance to work through them together.”

The film and Karslake’s visit are sponsored by the SU LGBT Studies Program, the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies, the LGBT Resource Center and Hendricks Chapel. The film’s website is http://www.forthebibletellsmeso.org/index2.htm.

The film and panel discussion are free and open to the public. Parking is available at the SU event rate of $3.50 in the Booth Garage. Directions and maps to parking lots are available on the SU Parking and Transit Services website (http://bfasweb.syr.edu/parking/). Requests for handicapped-accessible parking should be made in advance at 443-4652.