John Burroughs School hosting exclusive screening of new documentary by filmmaker Nicholas Ma

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - John Burroughs School is set to host an advanced screening of a new film by filmmaker Nicholas Ma, the son of cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

Ma, who produced the critically acclaimed documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" about Mr. Rogers, is set release another documentary, titled "Leap of Faith".

The documentary centers around 12 different pastors from across differences in theology, politics, race, socioeconomics, gender, and sexuality to determine if there was some core to Christianity that might rescue it (and the country) from itself.

"Michael Gulker, who put this group together, has been doing this work within congregation for more than a dozen years," said Ma to KMOX's Debbie Monterrey on Total Information A.M. "After watching Christianity fracture in this country and watching this country fracture alongside Christianity, he decided he wanted to do something bigger."

"In his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, he brought together 12 pastors together to say 'can we spend a year together to figure out what's left in this space that teaches us how to be together, live together and love together rather than walk away from each other."

Ma says when filming the documentary, he was surprised that there were "more twists than turns than he expected at the beginning, but the answer is more beautiful and more thoughtful than he could ever have anticipated."

"I think we often forget right now in this moment when we are told that we are 50-50 country, we're probably more like a 80-20 country," said Ma. "80 percent of us really want to know how to live together better and believe that we should be able to live together better, but worry that we don't know how to do it, they don't know how to do it."

"I think what the pastors make clear is there is something in that. It's painful, it's beautiful, it's hard work, but it's good work. This is a companion piece to 'Won't You Be My Neighbor?' about Fred Rogers in who are the Fred Rogers today? The answer is what would it take for all of us to be the Fred Rogers of today?"

John Burroughs School will be where the documentary makes it debut, with an advanced screening of the documentary taking place on Thursday, Aug. 29 from 6-9 p.m. Alongside the advanced screening, which is already sold out, it will also feature a performance by Yo-Yo Ma himself.

The documentary, "Leap of Faith" will be released in theaters in the Fall.