A Matter of Faith

In A MATTER OF FAITH, devout evangelical Rachel (Jordan Trovillion) goes off to a secular college, rather than the religious institution her father (Jay Pickett) preferred, because she wants to become a pharmacist. That degree requires taking biology class and evolution plays a large role in the curriculum. Professor Kamen (Harry Anderson) teaches bio with verve and humor, and the movie poses him as a devil of temptation because devout Rachel gives his ideas some consideration. There is concern that under his influence Rachel's faith might be eroding. Since going to college, she hasn't found a church yet, nor has she picked up her bible. She chastely dates a boy but a devout student named Evan (Chandler Machoca) seems to feel that her virginity and thus her devotion to Christ hangs in the balance. He warns her of the boy's overheard intentions to "make a move" on her, as if such intentions were unusual, unexpected, or the work of the devil. Moreover, she is shocked and doesn't believe Evan. At the same time, when he hears she is being taught evolution, rather than creationism, in a biology class, her father confronts her professor. The movie climaxes when father and professor debate creationism versus evolution. A devout professor (Clarence Gilyard), who was fired for teaching creationism years back, also takes to the podium and attempts to debunk the science behind evolution. The movie is structured to promote the conclusion that, based on the sheepish look on the bio professor's face, God and creationism win.