‘Off School Property: Solving the Separation of Church and State’ explores chaos, collapse and a comeback for religious instruction;
Little-known SCOTUS ruling paves the way for LifeWise Academy and a new revolution in American education
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — An explosive new documentary film titled ‘Off School Property: Solving the Separation of Church and State‘ is set to premiere in theaters across the nation on October 23, exploring the significant cultural and educational shifts that have transpired since the exclusion of the Bible from public school curricula. Produced by LifeWise Academy and directed by Dove and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Nate Lundquist, the film also sheds light on a rapidly growing movement that leverages a little-known 1952 Supreme Court ruling allowing parents to reinstate Bible instruction for their children during the school day in a manner that is off-campus, privately funded and entirely voluntary.
“When the Bible was removed from our schools, something vital was lost—not just spiritually, but culturally and academically,” said Joel Penton, founder of LifeWise Academy. “It’s no coincidence that when we kicked God out, chaos came in. Well, we’ve found a way to bring Him back and the movement is tens of thousands of families strong already. This film is just going to pour fuel on the fire.”
The film features voices from across the spectrum of faith and research, including renowned cultural researcher and bestselling author Dr. George Barna, who provides analysis and joins teachers, parents and historians in detailing how generations have grown up without the moral and cultural grounding once assumed to be part of education.
The film’s director points out, however, that though the explosive growth of the organization affirms the fervor for religious instruction, the documentary and organization are only seeking to help parents exert freedom, not force.
“This isn’t about forcing faith on anyone,” Lundquist said. “It’s simply about restoring parents’ rights—and reminding America what happens when truth is stripped from the classroom.”
Despite constant claims of “separation of church and state,” the Supreme Court has long upheld released-time religious instruction as constitutional. LifeWise, founded in 2019, has seized that opening, creating an educational model that critics deride but parents are embracing in record numbers. In the 2025–26 school year alone, the organization is on track to serve nearly 100,000 students across 1,100 schools in 34 states, nearly doubling its reach from the previous year.
“What began in just a handful of schools is now exploding across the country—and it’s driving critics crazy,” Penton said.
The surge comes at a time when church–state legal battles dominate headlines. In Texas, a law requiring Ten Commandments displays in every classroom was recently blocked by a federal judge on Establishment Clause grounds. In Louisiana, a similar mandate was struck down and upheld on appeal. And in Oklahoma, the U.S. Supreme Court deadlocked over whether the state could create a taxpayer-funded religious charter school, effectively preserving the state’s ban. These high-profile cases reveal a national debate over whether faith has any place in public education—and the growing demand from parents for alternatives like LifeWise.
The organization’s rapid rise has not gone unnoticed. In 2025, the Heritage Foundation awarded LifeWise its prestigious Innovation Prize for “empowering parental choice through released-time religious instruction.” Penton called the honor “confirmation of what we already know: parents are thirsting for solutions, and LifeWise is delivering them.”
“When you see just how stirred up this movement has gotten our secular critics, you realize we’re striking at the heart of the cultural battle,” Lundquist added. “The outrage tells us everything. Truth offends—but it also sets people free.”
The documentary premieres nationwide on October 23. Tickets and theater listings are available at fathomentertainment.com.
SOURCE LifeWise Academy
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