Screening of “Angels and Saints - Eros and Awe”
Edie Weinstein, MSW, LSW (Perkasie, Pennsylvania) and Rodney Whittenberg (Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania)
The screening of this award-winning documentary was preceded by and followed by a panel discussion with the Rodney and Edie. The presentation addressed the historic schism between “the spirit” and "the flesh” which has been perpetuated by traditional religions through the promotion of body-shame, fear and guilt and excessive cultural controls. They discussed key scenes from this new documentary, which had been selected by 16 national and international film festivals. Our modern day “Angels and Saints”, who represent a spectrum of gender and sexual identities, speak not only to the harm perpetuated through this cultural splitting but also of ways they have reconnected spirituality and sexuality and developed a sense of personal and communal wholeness and meaning. There was a 10-minute introduction, followed by the screening of the 57-minute film and then a 20-minute Q & A period. Participants shared their thoughts and feelings after viewing the film. Here are a few of their responses:
"Where was this film when I was 14?"
"This film will save lives."
"This film will save souls."