In a Kingdom Far Away

Camilla wonders if God's patience can run out, so Whit spins her into a story as the young Duchess of Ellington, mistress of a castle in the kingdom of Vidalia. The royal treasurer, Eugenius, despises the People of the Cross and wants their treasure - so he paints lies on the abbey walls, pays false witnesses, and stirs Queen Constance's envy until the innocent duchess is arrested for treason. At the trial, ninety-six ridiculous accusations rain down, while Friar Woodbury, who promised to defend her, watches from a hilltop... too afraid to say a word. The duchess is locked in a dungeon with nothing but water and one onion a day, and every Christian is banished from the kingdom. But Whit reminds Camilla that God loved Paul, David, and Peter after failures just like these - and the story turns. The queen confesses and frees the duchess, Eugenius reverses the banishment, and the trembling friar returns expecting punishment, only to be forgiven over dinner and asked simply to keep his promise and feed her sheep.

Found on Club Season 1 Album 57½ · 12 episodes

The run See every episode

2 of 3 0735 Life Expectancy As Connie prepares to lay her mother to rest, her estranged father arrives with a surprise that upends an already heartbreaking week.

3 of 3 0736 Life Expectancy As Connie sorts through her mother's belongings, she and her friends in Odyssey wrestle with how faith makes sense of grief and suffering.

1 of 2 0737 The Pilot A young pilot chasing an airline career reluctantly agrees to fly a doctor and nurse to a remote Venezuelan village, where a mysterious illness among the babies tests far more than his flying skills.

2 of 2 0738 The Pilot While flying a medical mission deep in the Venezuelan jungle, Jeff races the clock to discover what mysterious medicine is poisoning a dying patient - and finds a new purpose along the way.

1 of 2 0739 The Launch A goodwill trip to Uganda plunges Whit and Wooton into the middle of a generations-old feud between two cattle-raiding tribes.

2 of 2 0740 The Launch An American veterinarian's mission to save cattle in Uganda draws Whit and Wooton into the middle of a generations-old feud between two warring tribes.

0741 In a Kingdom Far Away When Camilla fears that sinning on purpose might use up God's patience, Whit spins a fairy tale about a young duchess whose kingdom turns against her - and hides a lesson about love that doesn't run out.

0742 Drake the Cosmic Copper A hard-boiled space detective goes undercover to expose a mysterious alien sect - but nothing they say is quite what it sounds like.

1 of 2 0743 Mission: Unaccomplished When the Parker family arrives in Kenya eager to serve, relentless rains and mounting mishaps unravel every plan they made - until an unexpected crisis reveals who is truly needed.

2 of 2 0744 Mission: Unaccomplished A family serving in Kenya scrambles to raise the money for a gravely ill friend's surgery, discovering that their smallest sacrifices may matter more than their biggest plans.

0745 Like a Good Neighbor When a rash of neighborhood break-ins reveals how little the residents of Odyssey know each other, Olivia sets out - brownies in hand - to discover what it really means to love your neighbor.

0746 The Lone Lawman When a Kids' Radio western goes on the air, a lone survivor of a stagecoach ambush must decide what it truly means to pursue justice.

0747 Thirty Jays Hath September Two boys' after-hours scheme at Whit's End goes wrong, earning them thirty days of mandatory kindness that neither expects to matter.

Featured characters

Minor characters & crew 7 more roles

7 supporting roles

Servant Dave Arnold Old Codger Will Ryan Queen Constance Katie Leigh Duchess of Ellington Michaela Dean Eugenius Earl of Melchestner Will Ryan Sheriff of Vidalia Andre Stojka Friar Wootberry Jess Harnell

Made by

Chris Anthony Host Kathy Buchanan Writer Nathan Hoobler Writer · Director · Producer Christopher Diehl Sound Designer Dave Arnold Executive Producer

The story

Read the full synopsis 2 min

Camilla worries that deliberate sins may eventually exhaust God’s patience. Whit assures her that God’s love is steadfast, but decides that a story may help her understand. He places Camilla in the imaginary kingdom of Vidalia as the young Duchess of Ellington, owner of Longshanks Manor and Abbey.

Queen Constance’s treasurer, Eugenius, hates the People of the Cross because their devotion to eternal treasure interferes with commerce and taxes. He also stirs the queen’s envy by praising the duchess’s beautiful castle. Eugenius proposes accusing the Christians of treason, imprisoning the duchess, seizing her property for the queen, and driving every follower of the Cross from the kingdom.

At Longshanks Manor, the duchess welcomes Friar Woodbury, who serves the abbey and promises to be her spiritual shepherd. Eugenius begins undermining the friar by painting ridiculous lies on the abbey walls. He then pays witnesses to accuse the duchess of plotting against the queen. The sheriff arrests her, and the queen prepares to take her home without a fair trial.

Friar Woodbury promises to defend the innocent duchess, but Eugenius visits him with armed knights and threats. At the public judgment, the earl reads ninety-six false accusations, ending with the dreadful claim that the duchess hates onions. Watching from a hill, the friar admits to a mysterious conjurer that he is too afraid to speak. The duchess is sentenced to life in a dungeon with only water and one onion each day, the queen takes her castle, and the People of the Cross are banished.

Camilla objects that the cruel story has a terrible ending. Whit asks whether God could still love its villains. Eugenius resembles Paul, who persecuted Christians before God transformed him into a great teacher. Queen Constance resembles King David, who arranged a man’s death to take his wife yet repented and remained loved by God. Friar Woodbury resembles Peter, who denied Jesus in fear and later received forgiveness and leadership.

Camilla realizes that repentance and restoration mean the story cannot end in misery. Queen Constance’s guilty conscience moves her to free the duchess, surrender the castle, confess her treachery, and accept the consequences. Eugenius experiences a mysterious light, reverses the banishment, and allows the Christians to return.

Friar Woodbury comes back expecting punishment from the duchess. Instead, she invites him to dinner and forgives him even before he apologizes. When he does confess, she asks him simply to keep his old promise and feed her sheep. God’s steadfast love does not increase or decrease with human performance; it reaches sinners at their worst, calls them to repentance, and makes restoration possible.