Devotion: The Gloriavale Story (2026)

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Devotion: The Gloriavale Story

Devotion: The Gloriavale Story (released internationally as Devotion: Obedience or Betrayal) is a three-part documentary series exploring the isolated and controversial Christian community of Gloriavale on the South Island of New Zealand. Directed and produced with rare inside access by Dame Julie Christie, the series contrasts decades of severe abuse scandals and legal convictions an secures interviews from both current and former members.

About the series

The series is structured across three episodes:

The series is structured across three episodes:

  • Episode 1: In Search of Truth — traces Gloriavale’s origins through founder Neville Cooper (known within the community as “Hopeful Christian”), and how a movement built on obedience and shared living gradually hardened into a system of control.
  • Episode 2: Sins of the Father — covers the police raid on the community and the founder’s fall from power.
  • Episode 3: The Choices We Make — follows the leadership crisis after the founder’s death, as Gloriavale’s new leadership faces continued scrutiny and allegations.

Unlike some earlier documentaries on Gloriavale, Devotion makes a point of including extended interviews with current members who defend the community and reject the “cult” label, alongside former members who describe a very different experience. The series doesn’t shy away from the community’s documented history of abuse: according to the series, at least 23 members of the community have been convicted of sexual or physical offending over the past 30 years.

Content warning: the series addresses sexual and physical abuse directly and in detail, along with the community’s patriarchal structure, arranged marriages, and strict control over members’ personal lives.

Watch the Series Here
Devotion: The Gloriavale Story poster
A Closer Look

Beyond the Screen - Balance or Bias?

Documentaries like Devotion: Obedience or Betrayal inevitably spark debate. But there’s one group whose perspective is particularly revealing: the people who have actually lived inside Gloriavale. So, what did former members make of it?

After the documentary aired, more than twenty Gloriavale leavers independently contacted the GLST to share their reactions, while others spoke publicly through media interviews. We’ve brought those responses together and grouped them by theme. Their reflections offer a fascinating window into the documentary.

What did they think? What rang true and what didn’t? What was missing or whitewashed? And do former members believe Gloriavale has really changed?
Read what Gloriavale leavers had to say.

What was Gloriavale trying to tell us? We take a closer look at the claims, explanations and narratives presented — and the questions they raise. Explore the themes worth examining.

And what about the documentary itself? Was it balanced? Did it ask the hard questions? What did former members think of the way their community and experiences were portrayed? And how much important context ended up on the cutting-room floor? Explore these difficult questions.

Take a deeper look at Devotion — through the eyes of those who know Gloriavale from the inside.

“It was rare?! That is simply not true. Why are they trying to kid themselves?”

Quotes and Responses

Former members share their honest reactions to how their experiences were portrayed on screen
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Themes Worth Examining

A closer look at the ideas the docuseries raises, the nuances it captures well, and the context it leaves out
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Asking the Hard Questions

The questions we think the filmmakers still need to answer, and the choices behind what made the final cut
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