Norm Geisler film ‘Not Qualified’ set to release in 2020
A film about notable Christian apologist, professor, and prolific author Norman Geisler, who died earlier this year, will be released next year.
Southern Evangelical Seminary’s 26th annual National Conference on Christian Apologetics in Charlotte, North Carolina, held a tribute to Geisler on Oct. 12.
The tribute featured a panel of apologists, including SES President Dr. Richard Land; author Frank Turek; SES Professor Emeritus of philosophy and apologetics, Richard Howe; South Carolina Baptist Convention Executive Committee member Stephen Cutchins; and David Geisler, president of Norm Geisler International Ministries and son of the noted apologist.
At the start of the panel, David Geisler announced that the film, titled “Norm Geisler: Not Qualified,” will be released in 2020.
“We’re in the process of putting that together and it will be out next year,” said Geisler, who added that “it wasn’t easy to get my father to agree to let me make a documentary on his life.”
David said he believes “God is going to use this documentary to play a part to help people” to better comprehend “the foundations of their faith.”
“We want to show this movie next year all over the globe,” he said. “Would you pray for us, that God would use this documentary to make an impact all across the globe?”
The conference then showed a clip from the trailer for the documentary, which included interviews from various Christian leaders as well as the late Geisler himself.
The teaser trailer included a link to the movie’s website, which noted that Geisler was basically illiterate until high school, yet eventually ended up writing around 100 books.
“Innately persistent, Norm became the first of his family to attend college. After obtaining several degrees including his doctorate, Norm’s tenacity eventually made him become known as a ‘bulldog for truth,’” the site explains.
“Winning countless debates against noted experts, he helped in both defining and bringing to the public eye a movement to defend the inerrancy of the Bible.”
Panel members also gave recollections of their experiences with Geisler. Land, who serves as head of the seminary that Geisler helped found in 1992, called the late Geisler “a reassuring presence.”
“It was like having the strategic air command at your disposal,” recalled Land. “If a problem arose, we’d say, ‘let’s call Norm and let Norma carpet bomb them and then it will be over with.’”
“Because he had the answers and he had them ready to go and he had the ability to do them in rapid fire fashion.”
Cutchins, a former student of Geisler’s who has been working on a dissertation about his leadership, said he believes Geisler was “all about mobilizing people.”
“I don’t remember a time ever when I picked up my phone and called Norman Geisler and he didn’t answer and had a conversation that answered my question to my satisfaction,” Cutchins said. “He was an investor in people. He mobilized people to deal with difficult tasks and to thrive.”
Geisler died on July 1, a couple of months after he retired from his position at SES and 20 days shy of his 87th birthday.
During his adult life, Geisler was deeply involved in apologetics and often debated people on issues such as evolution, humanistic ethics, sexual morality, and the existence of God.
“He has left behind an amazing legacy that will continue to have a ripple effect for many years to come,” the Norman Geisler Ministry Page on Facebook noted when announcing his death.