THAT OF GOD  53 mins

“walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone”

- George Fox

Jane Orion Smith spent years searching for a spiritual home. As the result of a tumultuous childhood, she developed an early commitment to justice and equality and a strong need for community. After brief stints with other churches, Jane Orion found her place within the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). From her first Meeting for Worship, she knew she belonged.

The Quaker faith is grounded in the experience of each individual. Through that experience, Quakers attempt to live the beliefs that are central to their faith: equality, peace, simplicity and integrity. All of these are connected to Quakerism’s most central tenet: “that of God”. Quakers believe that within each person is the light of the divine, what they call “that of God in everyone”.

This one-hour, lyrical documentary film explores this Quaker principle through the personal spiritual journey of one Canadian Quaker, Jane Orion Smith.

For Jane Orion, answering “that of God” means a spiritual commitment to work to nurture and be nurtured by the many relationships in her life. It means responding to others with compassion, conducting her interactions with integrity and being honest with the people in her community. It also means expecting the same in return, expecting to be treated with equity, as a woman and a lesbian.

That of God follows Jane Orion over a period of five years. Along the way, we meet: Marc Forget, Janet Ross, Beverly Shepard and Carol Leigh Wehking – other Quakers whose experiences and perspectives enhance our understanding of Quakerism. We see these characters in a variety of situations and settings: at a same-sex marriage ceremony, working for peace and justice, caring for friends and family. Through intimate interviews, in-situ scenes and contemplative spiritual imagery, we are immersed in the spirit of a community and the faith of one woman. As we spend time with Jane Orion Smith, tracing the relationships that have shaped and been shaped by her faith, we truly experience the Quaker belief of “that of God in everyone”.