Nominated for an Academy Award® in 1966, A Time for Burning offers an earnest look at race relations during the civil rights era. Commissioned by the Lutheran Film Associates, the film chronicles Pastor William Yongdahl’s efforts to persuade his all-white congregation in Omaha, Nebraska, to engage in conversation with members of a nearby African American sister church. A far cry from an attempt at integration, Yongdahl’s plans nonetheless meet serious resistance from many of his colleagues and members of his congregation. Covering the conflict from both sides of the racial divide, the film features the keen insights of African American barber Ernie Chambers, who went on to become Nebraska’s longest-serving state senator. Originally rejected by the three major television networks for being too controversial, this cinema verité classic is a sobering reminder of the conflict that can arise when religion and politics meet.  SB