In 1965, Lloyd Geering was principal of Knox Theological College in Dunedin. That year he published an article in the Presbyterian Outlook magazine, which lead to a storm of controversy. Geering was put on trial for heresy.
Lloyd Geering’s trial galvanised the public, and divided opinion. For the first time in New Zealand, the debates about ‘Man’s relationship to God’ were brought sharply into the public forum.
The play focuses on the trial years (1965-67) but also delves into the past, to see what shaped his changing views. This includes life-changing events like the deaths of his brother, then son, then finally his first wife.
The story is as relevant today.
The play can be seen as a kind of Kiwi A Man for All Seasons, as a portrait of a man who stays true to his conscience, despite the pressure of the public and from within his own academic and religious framework.