(Newswire.net — December 8, 2014) Thomson, Illinois — Humanism has “pushed a lot of great heroes” out of school textbooks, and it’s time for parents to reclaim their children’s education.
So says historian and audio theater producer Bill Heid, who added on The Tom Roten Morning Show that he was “amazed” at the number of heroes from history – particularly many Christian ones – who were no longer in textbooks.
“It’s become almost a religious battle,” Heid said on the program, which was broadcast on WVHU in Huntingdon, W.Va.
Among the heroes often left out of textbooks, Heid said, is William Wallace, the great Scottish leader of the 14th century who led the fight for Scottish independence.
Heid is the executive producer of a new audio movie, In Freedom’s Cause, that tells the story of Wallace. In Freedom’s Cause follows a boy, Ned, as he watches history unfold and tags along with Wallace and the eventual king of Scotland, Robert the Bruce, as they fight for Scottish freedom.
“If you look at William Wallace, this man was a big man – big man physically but also a big man intellectually,” Heid said. “He spoke four or five languages. He wrote letters to the Pope in Latin. He was an ambassador, and he was attached to his faith. … He kept a Psalter with him his whole life. He read it all the time.”
Braveheart made Wallace’s life into a revenge story, Heid said, but that “was not the only thing that animated him.”
“His faith was profound – so much so that when King Edwards’ men pulled him apart [when he was executed], his last request was to have his Psalter put in front of him so he could read it as he was being pulled apart,” Heid said. “That’s faith.”
The first project from Heid and his company, Heirloom Audio Productions, was Under Drake’s Flag, which told the true story of English hero Sir Francis Drake (c. 1540-1596).
Heid said the projects “are all about putting Christ back into history.”
The CDs are based on G.A. Henty books and recorded in the same genre of Adventures In Odyssey. In fact, some crew members from that Focus on the Family production worked with Heirloom Audio.
Actress Chris Anthony – who hosted Adventures In Odyssey on radio – was impressed.
“I haven’t been this excited since the beginning of Adventures In Odyssey,” Anthony said.
They have received high marks from homeschooling expert and curriculum reviewer Cathy Duffy.
“While other publishers have created outstanding audio recordings, both abridged and unabridged, the new presentations from Heirloom Audio are really something special,” Duffy wrote. “The script writers, the sound engineer, the actors, the creator of the musical score, and others involved in making these productions have been involved in major, critically-acclaimed productions, and their expertise shows! These are really top-notch, audio theater experiences as well as an entertaining way to learn some history.”
In Freedom’s Cause, stars Skandar Keynes (Edmund of The Chronicles of Narnia series), Billy Boyd (Pippin of The Lord Of The Rings), James Cosmo (Campbell, Father Christmas of Braveheart and The Chronicles of Narnia, respectively) and Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates of Downton Abbey).
Under Drake’s Flag was named Favorite Audio Drama of 2014 by SchoolhouseReviewCrew.com, a major homeschooling website comprised of 200 families who review products. For more information, visit UnderDrakesFlag.com.
For more information on In Freedom’s Cause, visit InFreedomsCause.com.