‘That They May Be One’: New film explores call to Christian unity
New film "That They May Be One" based on Jesus’ prayer in John 17:21 explores Christian unity across history and today. The documentary blends interviews with Catholic and Protestant leaders—Father Mathias Thelen, Pastor James Ward, evangelist Francis Chan, and scholar Mary Healy—with reenactments of key moments. It will be released nationwide in theaters on May 19 and 20, 2026. Executive producer Adriana Gonzalez cites growing societal division and a call for unity as the motivation for the film. The film highlights a perceived move of God today that emphasizes unity in the Holy Spirit.
5 months ago
‘That They May Be One’ is a new documentary‑style film that dramatizes Jesus’ prayer for unity (John 17:21) and examines how Christians today can live it out. The movie will debut in U.S. theaters on May 19‑20, featuring interviews with Catholic and Protestant leaders, reenactments, and commentary from its producers and cast 1.
The project blends documentary interviews with dramatized scenes, starring Michael Girgenti as Jesus. It was produced by Catholic executive producer Adriana Gonzalez and biblical scholar‑producer Mary Healy, and distributed by Father Moment Entertainment 1.
Gonzalez says the film responds to growing division and hostility toward Christianity, arguing that “greater unity is just logically beneficial” for a faithful witness 1.
She emphasizes that unity is a “call from the Church herself,” rooted in the Second Vatican Council and reiterated in St. John Paul II’s encyclical Ut Unum Sint 1.
The documentary includes perspectives from:
Girgenti adds that many denominations focus on “being right” rather than cooperating to bring non‑believers to Christ 1.
Gonzalez urges Catholics to reject the misconception that ecumenism “waters down” their faith, noting that the Church “calls all of her faithful to pursue unity in the body of Christ.” She connects this call to Jesus’ own prayer on the night before his crucifixion 1.
Girgenti hopes viewers will be inspired to “talk and preach about the Lord” together, and that non‑believers will feel invited to explore Scripture and the Christian community 1.
The filmmakers hope the movie will spark a renewed “falling in love with Jesus” among believers, which they see as a natural pathway to greater ecclesial unity 1. They also aim to present a collaborative witness that can counter cultural attacks on Christianity 1.
Explore Catholic‑Protestant unity in light of John 17:21
John 17:21 places Christian unity in the center of Jesus’ own prayer: unity is not merely a strategy for coexistence, but a participation in the communion between the Father and the Son, so that the world may believe that Christ is sent. In Catholic teaching, this vision grounds ecumenism with Protestants in both truth and charity, moving toward full, visible communion through dialogue, prayer, repentance, and common witness.
Jesus prays “that they may all be one … so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (Jn 17:21).
Thomas Aquinas emphasizes that the unity Jesus asks for is a “perfect unity” in goodness. He also distinguishes the kind of unity: Christ is not praying for a unity “in evil,” but for unity “in God.”
Aquinas explains the “as you, Father, are in me, and I in you” pattern by identifying the cause as conformity of will and love—a unity grounded in charity, not identity of essence. This matters for Catholic-Protestant unity: it is not enough that communities cooperate; unity is meant to grow from deeper alignment with Christ, who draws believers into the Father-Son communion.
Aquinas makes the missionary purpose explicit: “the world may believe” is the fruit of unity. Nothing “shows the truth of the Gospel better than the charity of those who believe.”
John Chrysostom likewise ties unity to credibility before the world: Christ confronts division so that people may believe the Father sent him; God is “a cause of peace, not of contentions.”
So, in John 17, ecumenism is intrinsically evangelizing: division damages witness; unity—born from love—supports the world’s confidence in Christ’s mission.
The Catechism teaches that Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning; this unity subsists in the Catholic Church and is expected “to increase until the end of time.”
At the same time, the Church must pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity Christ wills—because Jesus “does not cease praying” for it.
This means Catholic-Protestant unity is not a mere social project; it is participation in Christ’s own ongoing prayer, within the Church’s duty to seek unity that is real and faithful to truth.
The Catechism adds that “the desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit.”
That frames ecumenical work as spiritually accountable: it must be led by the Holy Spirit’s action, not simply by human planning.
Pope Leo XIV clarifies a common confusion: the Catholic understanding of ecumenism “does not imply an ecumenism that attempts to return to the state prior to the divisions,” nor is it “a mutual recognition of the current status quo.”
Instead, ecumenism looks to the future: it seeks reconciliation through dialogue while sharing gifts and spiritual heritage.
So Catholic-Protestant unity is not framed as “nothing more needs to change.” It is oriented toward a true restoration of unity that goes beyond tolerating separation.
Pope Leo XIV also states as a priority the “re-establishment of full and visible communion” among those who profess the same faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This aligns with the Catholic premise that the unity Christ wills must be visible—and grows through theological dialogue, common worship where possible, and shared witness.
Pope Leo XIV teaches that because unity requires a journey involving “mutual listening and acceptance” and is “a spiritual challenge,” it requires “repentance and conversion on the part of all.”
For that reason, Catholics “need the spiritual ecumenism of prayer, praise and adoration.”
This is consistent with the Catechism’s idea that Jesus’ prayer and the Church’s prayer are not incidental but constitutive of the pursuit of unity.
John Paul II describes ecumenical work as requiring sincerity, perseverance, humility, and even courage in seeking ways of drawing closer and union. He warns against discouragement at difficulties, because otherwise one would fail to accomplish Christ’s testament.
John Paul II insists that ecumenism is not an optional add-on: it is “an organic part of [the Church’s] life and work,” like fruit from a healthy tree.
That implies Catholic-Protestant unity must shape preaching, catechesis, and worship life—rather than staying limited to occasional meetings.
John Paul II notes that the same Holy Spirit who urges reverent listening and confident proclamation also kindles in disciples an “ever more intense yearning for unity.”
He also connects lack of unity to hindrance: “Since the lack of unity among Christians continues to hinder the growth of God’s Kingdom, we must work all the harder” to realize “that all may be one” (Jn 17:21).
Pope Leo XIV highlights that the “same faith in Jesus our Savior unites” Catholics with other Christians, and he renews a “yes” to unity in Jn 17:21.
He also references Unitatis Redintegratio as grounding ecumenism in “our common baptism and our shared mission in the world.”
In his message to the Ecumenical Week participants, Pope Leo XIV cites Nathan Söderblom’s conviction that “service unites,” calling Christians not to wait for agreement “on every point of theology,” but to unite in “practical Christianity” serving peace, justice, and human dignity.
This does not replace doctrine; rather, it expresses Aquinas’s logic that the world is persuaded by the charity of believers. It also respects John Paul II’s insistence that unity requires both sincerity and persistence.
Chrysostom’s concern is directly transferable: if believers “quarrel,” people will deny that they are disciples of a “God of peace.”
Therefore, Catholic-Protestant unity should become legible in concrete life: respectful speech, patience in disagreements, and shared charity that reflects the Gospel’s truth.
John 17:21 is not an abstract ideal. It is a pattern of communion in God, expressed through charity, and it has a missionary purpose: “so that the world may believe” Christ is sent.
Catholic ecumenism—especially with Protestants—is therefore both spiritual and theological: it seeks full and visible communion, not a tolerated separation or a mere “status quo,” pursued through dialogue, prayer, repentance, and persevering conversion.
May the Holy Spirit guide the journey toward the unity Christ prays for, “so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”