"Truth Rising" Review

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The new documentary Truth Rising offers up some intriguing thoughts on how society is transforming while also focusing attention on certain individuals who are fighting against the new and "acceptable" societal norms. Those stories focus on the invisible line between what is culturally accepted today and what is perceived to be unacceptable behavior.

During the first half of the film, author Os Guinness interviews different cultural commentators and leaders and offers some insights on society at large. These experts talk about what holds civilizations together and what direction our world seems to be heading in. There are big changes happening to the way people live and exist and many of those changes are culturally devastating, according to them.

As historian Niall Ferguson notes, there’s a “radical dismantling of social bonds” today, leading to more isolation and a rejection of community (in families, Churches etc.) that once held people together.  

While the early interviews focus on societal and cultural changes, the latter half focuses on real examples of people who stood up for what they believed was right. The profiled individuals stood against cultural tides and held fast to their beliefs or learned from their choices.

Presented by Focus on the Family and Colson Center, Truth Rising focuses on a number of serious topics that give should audiences a lot to talk about. The early interview subjects talk about how people have stepped away from the concepts and values that once held cultures together. Many of these topics are only discussed fleetingly but they pose meaningful questions that audiences can ponder on their own. Instead of hammering the audience though with forced beliefs, the filmmakers leave room for the audience to ponder the ideas on their own.

The interview subjects in the latter half talk about how their lives were affected when they dared hold to something they believed was right or they dared to question their own beliefs. Some of the interview subjects here are figures who have gained national attention. Jack Phillips, for one, became a national figure when he was sued for refusing to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple. Seth Dillon, the Babylon Bee CEO, faced suspension on Twitter when that comedy outlet mocked Rachel Levine’s selection as one of USA Today’s women of the year. Phillips and Dillon both chose to do something that critics believed were “unacceptable” and faced the consequences.

Although the documentary focuses on these stories, it doesn’t preach about political issues. Instead, it steps back and asks larger questions. For instance, there’s less of a focus on whether or not Phillips should’ve made the cake; the question is did he have a right not to?

Truth Rising undeniably raises some serious questions and some of the early interview subjects don’t have a chance to really explore their findings or their backgrounds. Instead, the feature settles to raise questions about where civilization is headed and the dangers we face as a culture if we don’t stop to examine our path. It raises a number of questions that will likely leave audiences talking after it ends.  

The  Truth Rising premiere is scheduled for September 5, 2025, beginning at noon ET. It will be available to stream for free on www.TruthRising.com indefinitely.

Watch the trailer now!