Beggar at the Gates is a fascinating time capsule depicting the church in the midst of monumental social change. Filmed in 1968, the documentary profiles a number of churches and church leaders from a variety of denominations, revealing their widely divergent views about everything from prayer to social justice and race. At the center of the film is the story of a dying Boston church that stands in a once prosperous white neighborhood that is now predominantly African-American and poor. That story and the film as a whole, provides insights about issues that continue to confront the church and the nation today.