One of the other main characters from All in the Family was Archie’s son-in-law Michael played by Rob Reiner. After appearing in this classic show, he went on to a successful career as an actor, writer, and director. Rob Reiner was deeply influenced by Norman Lear and followed his example of using film to address social realities. His latest effort is an upcoming documentary called “God and Country” that focuses on different ways that Christianity impacts our society both positively and negatively. The trailer for the documentary is the fourth video posted below. Following Norman Lear’s example, this film is bound to be seen as controversial. When I viewed the trailer, it helped me to realize that those of us who follow Jesus need to be clear about the kind of Jesus we follow. Like Norman Lear, Rob Reiner challenges us to seriously consider how to live out our faith so that we are truly all in the family – the family of those made in the image of God.
Norman Lear died on December 5 at the age of 101. He was a prolific writer and producer who was responsible for some of the most memorable shows in American television history. Probably Lear’s most famous creation was the groundbreaking show All in the Family. He used humor to confront and address issues of social justice including racism, sexism, and homophobia. Through the iconic character of Archie Bunker, Norman Lear challenged our nation to greater levels of inclusion and justice so that we could move toward truly being all in the family. He considered this to be a form of genuine patriotism by calling us to move beyond prejudice and exclusion to live more fully into our nation’s founding principles of liberty and justice for all. As a Jewish person, he experienced the reality of antisemitism. As a soldier in World War II, he flew over 50 missions in Europe. Much of Lear’s television work was considered controversial at the time, and he had to stand up to television executives who wanted to censor or cancel the show. The first three clips posted below are examples of scenes that were both shocking and humorous to viewers in the 1970’s and still resonate today. The first two clips are from a famous episode in which Archie meets the famous Black entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr. The third clip features Archie in an argument with Henry Jefferson, the brother of George Jefferson, about the color of God. The three clips illustrate how Norman Lear challenged bigotry and stereotypes that were prevalent at that time and are still with us today.