GRAPEVINE, Texas — In a time of growing political division and declining knowledge of U.S. history, a new documentary asks the question: What if America’s founding was no accident?
“The American Miracle: Our Nation is No Accident,” directed by Tim Mahoney and produced by Douglas Maddox, opens in theaters nationwide June 9-11 through Fathom Entertainment. Based on Michael Medved’s bestselling book, the film contends that divine providence played a key role in the nation’s founding.
“This is a story worth telling,” Mahoney, known for the “Patterns of Evidence” documentary series, told The Christian Post during a sit-down interview at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention. “As we approach our 250th anniversary, it’s clear many Americans, especially younger generations, don’t know their history. That’s a problem.”
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Mahoney cited a poll showing that only one in three college students would pass a basic citizenship test, emphasizing the importance of revisiting stories from America’s founding, particularly those that point to something greater at work.
The film focuses on events like the early life and military service of President George Washington, highlighting near-death experiences that, according to Mahoney and Medved, suggest divine protection.
“George Washington has a very significant role in how Providence protected him, because when he was a young man, people were noticing that God must have His hand on him because he was spared [many times]. Almost drowning one time, being shot at multiple times, there were many witnesses of that,” he said.
“This film is about heroic people, and it’s a moral and virtuous heroic story. And I think we’re in a time right now where we need to have those kinds of heroes in our psyche and in our conscience.”
For Mahoney, the documentary continues his work of exploring God’s role in history.
“Providence means the presence of God,” he said. “This film shows that presence in action.”
Producer Douglas Maddox said the story is also personal for Medved, whose Jewish family immigrated from Ukraine. “His father took him to historic sites across the U.S. and taught him to be thankful,” Maddox said. “This book, and now the film, honors that legacy.”
The documentary covers four chapters of Medved’s 12-chapter book. One story it tells is the Battle of Monongahela, where Washington survived despite overwhelming odds.
“Two horses were shot from under him. Officers around him died. Yet he lived,” Maddox said. “Even a Native American chief later said they couldn’t touch him.”
Mahoney and Maddox believe there’s no doubt these events reflect divine involvement, but such stories are often left out of classrooms or stripped of their spiritual meaning.
“Some historians have tried to downplay the role of faith in our founding,” Mahoney said. “But if you look at what the Founders actually said and wrote, it’s clear they believed in God.”
“We have people that are at colleges and universities of the Ivy League that come out with books that try to diminish the Founding Fathers or diminish their interest in God and their comments about God,” he added. “This film is a response going back to the Founding Fathers and their understanding of Scripture. It’s so important because we’ve been fed half-truths, and in some cases, we’ve been actually given information that’s not true by historians, because they have an agenda, and they don’t see or want people to know.”
The film features commentary from scholars like Robert P. George and Stephen Meyer, who discuss the religious and philosophical roots of American documents like the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
“The Declaration says our rights come from God, not government,” Maddox said. “That’s a central idea, and it’s what sets the U.S. apart.”
The film doesn’t ignore the failures of the Founders, especially on slavery. But Mahoney explained that the problem wasn’t with the ideals — it was that people didn’t live up to them.
“Our system wasn’t flawed because the ideas were wrong,” he said. “It failed when people didn’t follow those ideas.”
The filmmakers hope “The American Miracle” will help people better understand and appreciate the country’s origins — especially those who feel disconnected from its history.
“There’s a trend today to be cynical about America,” Maddox said. “But we need to revisit our heroes. George Washington was steady, faithful and humble.”
The film also includes the moment during the Continental Congress when Benjamin Franklin called for prayer to end division. It worked. Within days, delegates agreed to form a unified nation.
“When we forget our history, we risk losing it,” Mahoney said. “That’s what this film is about. It’s not just for history buffs. It’s for anyone who wants to understand why this country exists. We’re telling the real story, and we hope it reminds people of what matters.”
With a large cast and scenes filmed across the U.S. and the U.K., The American Miracle features performances by Pat Boone, Kevin Sorbo, Nicole C. Mullen, Cameron Arnett, and James Arnold Taylor. It also includes commentary from Joseph Ellis, Richard Dreyfuss, Akhil Reed Amar, Lord Andrew Roberts and Jana Novak.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
