Angel Studios continues to shock the box office by bringing forward movies that people engage with and want to see. In 2023, Sound of Freedom hit the big screen, and while controversy might surround the depicted figure, it did shed a light on the issue of human trafficking. On July 4, Angel Studios released what appears to be an ongoing theme, with Sound of Hope, capitalizing on the phrase “Sound of” and focusing on another issue around children, this time, foster care.
Sound of Hope tells the story of the Possum Trot community in Texas. Inspired by their pastor, W.C. Martin and his wife, Donna, who began fostering children, fellow churchgoers followed suit, welcoming children into their homes, showering them with love and attention.
The death of Donna’s mother brought her to a point of depression. When she was at her lowest point, God broke through her darkness, and inspired her to foster and adopt. The idea was not well received by her pastor husband and the family had a special needs child already at home. God convicted her and she kept pursuing her dream until it became a reality. Their story is what unfolds in the two-plus hour movie.
There is so much a person could say about this film. One could call it a pro-life in action movie or critique various aspects. As I watched, I kept returning the notion of virtue: How is the Martin family exhibiting virtue right now? What virtues does the movie portray?
There are three main categories of virtues: theological, cardinal, and moral. Theological virtues are bestowed upon a person by God and are innate. The theological virtues are faith, hope, and charity (or love). The cardinal virtues are: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. And the moral virtues are more generic which guide one’s way of life. The virtues are a sufficient lens through which to analyze Sound of Hope and the Martin family.
The virtues are a sufficient lens through which to analyze Sound of Hope and the Martin family.
The Martin’s are a religious family. Afterall W.C. is a pastor (later referred to as Bishop) of Bennett Chapel. The behavior of the pastor throughout the movie might be questioned by some viewers as it might not live up to the high expectations that one would have for a clergyman. Donna was a woman of supreme faith, surely inspired by her mother, who viewers meet in the opening minutes of the movie. A poignant scene is Donna’s mother praying over different pictures on the wall. She had faith in the power of prayer and God at work in their life. A few different voiceover narrations from Donna capture elements of faith. One scene speaks to the world falling and pleading with God to stop it, and yet in the midst of it all you never forget he is ever present to you. Faith is demonstrated in little prayers spoken by characters at pivotal moments in the film. Faith manifests when you keep believing in the difficult moments. Sound of Hope adequately showcases faith being lived by out by the Martin family and the rest of the community.
The whole movie is titled off of hope. Hope is present throughout the storyline beginning with hope in the midst of grief and depression. It’s foster families providing hope for children who are in desperate and unloving situations. It’s hope when everything falls apart and prayer restores one’s hope in what you are doing. When hope is lost, it can always be renewed.
Each person is loved by God. Every child should be loved. Love happens when a child is embraced at a moment of deep fear. As the Martin family knows they are loved by God, they choose to allow God’s love to overflow into their life of neighbor by welcoming their foster children.
In addition to the theological virtues, there are many moral virtues about which one could reflect. A few that come to mind include generosity, patience, perseverance, and forgiveness. The Martin family truly exhibited generosity and encouraged the families of their church to be generous too. They led the charge by example. To open one’s home to another person with a difficult past bespeaks generosity. The children they welcomed were challenging. Patience was needed. At times they failed in their patience, so forgiveness was necessary. There are key moments in the movie when mother and child or husband and wife apologize and display forgiveness toward each other. Finally, it would have been easy to give up when it became difficult. But they exhibited perseverance through trial and tribulation.
If there was one virtue that maybe the Martin family lacked, it would be the cardinal virtue of prudence. Was it prudent for them to welcome and accept several children in their home. As a pastor, the Martin family was not rich and did not have many means. One scene showed the water being turned off, at other times they struggled to put food on the table. Would it have been prudent to say no to another child or prudent to allow the social worker to take their most difficult child back and place them in a different home. The story has already been written and whether what they did was prudent, only God can judge. What we do know is that their story of fostering and adopting has captured the hearts of many over the decades and today their story is being told all around the world through Sound of Hope.
In one impactful scene, Pastor Martin approaches another church in town. It is the mega, wealthy church, promoting their faith-based cruise. It is a scene that is a call to action not only for the pastor but for the viewer too. He knows the Bible and what it calls us to do for the least of our brothers and sisters, but do we do it? How are we to help the most vulnerable? Not everybody will be able to open their homes to a child in the foster care system, but what can you and I do as Christians to alleviate the burdens of these children and to let them know they are loved? How can I allow the theological and moral virtues to guide my way of life to support others. By showcasing virtues, Sound of Hope, offers us an opportunity to have that conversation and introspectively consider what our individual role is in finding a solution for this crisis.
