Leave it to the intelligentsia to debate the film's alleged anti-Semitic slant; if one judges what is on the screen (so gloriously served by John Debney's score and Caleb Deschanel's cinematography), there is fuel for debate but no obvious malice aforethought; the Jews under Caiaphas are just as guilty as the barbaric Romans who carry out the execution, especially after Gibson excised (from the subtitles, if not the soundtrack) the film's most controversial line of dialogue. If one accepts that Gibson's intentions are sincere, The Passion can be accepted for what it is: a grueling, straightforward (some might say unimaginative) and extremely violent depiction of the Passion, guaranteed to render devout Christians speechless while it intensifies their faith. Non-believers are likely to take a more dispassionate view, and some may resort to ridicule. But one thing remains undebatable: with The Passion of the Christ, Gibson put his money where his mouth is. You can praise or damn him all you want, but you've got to admire his chutzpah. -- Jeff Shannon
Product Description:
The Passion of the Christ focuses on the last twelve hours of Jesus of Nazareth's life. The film begins in the Garden of Olives where Jesus has gone to pray after the Last Supper. Jesus must resist the temptations of Satan. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot, Jesus is then arrested and taken within the city walls of Jerusalem where leaders of the Pharisees confront him with accusations of blasphemy and his trial results in a condemnation to death.
The film, besides being beautiful because of its subject matter is also aesthetically gorgeous. The cinematography is extaordinary and the actors all fit their roles very well. The sets are amazing. The film had a budget of $25 million and it shows. The music is a combination of middle eastern style music with traditional Hebrew chanting.
There was an additional source used for inspiration and to "fill in the blanks" that the Bible does not mention(ex.: where Jesus was scourged, the reactions of his apostles, descriptions of the crowd, and Pilate, etc.). for those of you who are biblical purists consider that relying on a source that may or may not be inspired and is written in the spirit of the Gospels is better than relying on a hollywood screenwriter. The film uses the diaries of the Catholic mystic, ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich as collected in her book, 'The Dolorous Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ'. It is a wonderful book that compliments the Gospels well. Emmerich's book does not contradict the Gospels. The film will be released on February 25, 2004. And by the way, this Jesus(played by Jim Caveizel)actually looks like a Jew of ancient Isreal :) .God bless. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title
And yet, Jesus wasn't the only innocent person tortured and murdered. What of the millions of people tortured and murdered during the Inquisition and Crusades? What of the Holocaust victims? What of the attempted genocide of the Bahai's? These savagries were performed in the name of God and under the aegais of different belief structures.
So, what is the message here? That God is love? If so, then why would that God demand that his son be tortured? Is the message that Christ suffered? Then ask how many other faiths have been persecuted at the hands of the ruling religions. The message of love and tolerance is obliterated by the sadistic images of pure torture and misery.
Technically, the graphical presentation of the passion is really an extreme. I can't help but to close my eyes whenever the Roman soldiers would scourge the back of Jesus and blood spurting on their faces and flesh were torn apart by the blades and spikes of the lashes. The sound of the ripping flesh, striking lashes, unpleasant laughters and shouts of the soldiers and mobs were really audible. This film could make it as a long 'torturing' film about the passion of Christ of all the movies that were made about Christ! I would like to give a strong discretion for those minor viewers for intense graphic and visual effects because of 'bloodied' scenes. Parents ought to guide their children if they view this film.
About the film, 'The Passion...' has presented the accuracy and historicity of the final 12 hours of Christ in some aspects which were recorded by the evangelists and bible historians. It was well-researched and consulted. The impressive thing here is the use of languages of latin and aramaic which considred to be dead languages. Thanks to the film producers that it has provided the sub-titles in English. The languages used were a plus factor for the uniqueness and authenticity of what it presents the subject. Though the languages spoken were unique, it is never a difficulty nor a factor for a viewer to follow the story but moreover, the viewer can really grasp the essentials of the dialogues. I lauded Mel Gibson for his direction of this film because I appreciate some of the symbolic gestures used in this film like when Simon of Cyrene was carrying the cross together with Christ , and with their both shoulders and arms embracing the cross...very meaningful! Gibson is fond of slow motion, and he really uses a lot of it to some scenes which are vulnerable like the scourging at the pillar, the crowning f thorns, the crucifixin, and many more! and the cameras are turning 360 degrees as for its special effects.
Jim Caviezel delievered his role as Jesus was really impressive and outstanding...you can really moved by Jim's acting with such impressive performance. Other casts are great and performed well with such convincing portrayals.
I don't believe that this film is anti-Semitic because one thing I can say is that the Jewish were also the victims here. We don't generalize things here because not all Jews during the time of Christ's crucifixion is not really representing all Jews in general. Jews were victims here because of the deception that the high priest and his council have done to Jesus. Jesus is a jew too, remember? he is also the victim here as part of the Jewish community. It's fair to say that not all Jewish were the people who put Jesus to death but only the misguided Jews who are deceived and blinded by the falsity made by the men who called themselves God's representative.
So, if you want a long torturing film about the passion experienced by Christ...I recommend this film but you must hold on to your seats to fully bear the visual and graphic contents of this film. Over-all, a great and exceptionally film for all denominations of faith and all walks of life! The Passion is really in here!
Violence is not the faith. The faith is about a celebration of life; in the teachings of a living prophet (or living God, as the Christians called him) who gave us intelligent words of wisdom, peace, hope for all and self worth as living, spiritual beings.
For me, The Passion of Christ misses the point of spirituality. I simply fell into the emotion of feeling sorry for this good man being beaten to a pulp and humiliated before us. As this film is from Jesus' point-of-view, there could have been some truly intimate scenes between him and his God, which would have completed the experience and made this a better film.
What Mr. Gibson has made here is an audience attracting, sensationalist film. A spectacle of blood filled with gore and gratuitous violence. What it lacks is sensitivity and nuance. In film nothing is real, it is all made up with 110 page scripts, actors in make-up, cameras, backdrops with painted studio floors and fake blood. It is totally the subjective opinion of the filmmaker no matter how artificial or real it seems, and the audience is entirely at the whim of that filmmaker. I was left with the feeling of being manipulated by a disturbed filmmaker.
This is an exploitation film shamelessly praying on the hearts and minds of the followers of a faith, with a distorted touch of scary film shock to sell tickets and reap the currency of the faithful, the curious and the perverse who enjoy violence. This is like turning the sanctity of the faithful into a World Wrestling Federation Circus.
To me, Mr. Gibson hasn't yet risen to the challenge of being a storyteller. But unfortunately, he garners the attendance at this movie because it is masquerading as a biblical epic made by a matinee idol.
Great photography of Filmmaker/Cinematographer Caleb Deschanel. Wonderful emotional music of John Debney. Fine editing of John Wright and production design of Francesco Frigeri. Great acting of Jim Caviezel. All together a great cast and crew members who made this film for Mr. Gibson.
One thing this film did for me was to make me think, think about all the atrocities that man has done to fellow man throughout the ages in the name of Jesus Christ by the very people who preach his words. Fortunately for us, the good message seeps through and survives. Jesus' life was neither about death, torture nor tyranny, but about the simple celebration of spiritual love, growth, life and how to get along with our fellow human beings. Something this film tragically lacks.
"This is Franco Zefferelli's full-length, multi-hour depiction of the life of Christ. Beautifully and sensitively filmed, this inspired work of cinematic art drew widespread acclaim, awards, and praise. Boxed set of 3 videos.The international cast includes Robert Powell, Anne Bancroft, Ernest Borgnine, James Earl Jones, Stacy Keach, James Mason, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Quinn and many more." This epic movie has been widely acclaimed for its Biblical and historical accuracy, and for its cinematic re-creation of Palestine in the time of Christ. In every sense, this superb production is an artistic, inspirational, and devotional classic."Amazon.com customers gave this video the following glowing reviews:
"Extraordinary, Moving, Powerful. Jesus of Nazareth, a British production, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, debuted on network television (NBC, I believe) in the spring of 1977 - as a miniseries! - and was a ratings success. Needless to say, television producers would not try to duplicate the feat today.I watched Jesus of Nazareth Easter Sunday on the History Channel...not all of it, about 3 hours of it. It is such a tremendous achievement of script, portrayal, performance that I wonder why IT is not the broadcast standard of Biblical themed films in the televised media (and why The Ten Commandments is).
This assembled cast cannot be equaled - Olivier as Nicodemus, James Mason as Joseph of Arimethea, Ian McShane as Judas, Ian Holm as the fictional creation (and successfully done) of a Sanhedrin leader named Zara,Christopher Plummer as Herod, Stacy Keach as Barrabas, Anne Bancroft (kudos) as Mary Magdalene, Rod Steiger as Pontius Pilate, and Robert Powell (an unknown actor at the time transforms himself like DeNiro did as Jake Lamotta) in an amazingly unrecognized performance as Jesus.
Not all the performances are noteworthy - James Farentino as Peter, Anthony Quinn as a Sanhedrin leader, and the actress who plays Herod's wife are flops.
The most exceptional scenes---when Jesus narrates the story of the Prodigal Son (which brings Matthew and Peter together), the Last Supper ( a supreme accomplishment of filmmaking), the raising of Lazarus, the judgement of Jesus by Pilate, the dialogue between Jesus and Barrabas at the baths, the passionate lecture Jesus dispenses on the Pharisees, and the overwhelming, incredibly moving cry of Jesus to the prophet Elijah as he perishes---
No matter what one believes, recognizes, adheres to--this is an unparalleled, historic story of a man who displayed conveyed behaved as the most perfect embodiment of a human being could...to achieve his destiny as deity." - this Amazon.com customer gave this video a '5 star' rating.
"THE DEFINITIVE FILM ON THE LIFE OF CHRIST! After more than two decades, JESUS OF NAZARETH remains the greatest motion picture on the life of Jesus Christ -unsurpassed and second-to-none. Beautifully directed by Franco Zeffirelli (best known for his 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet) and featuring a constellation of the greatest international actors: Sir Lawrence Olivier, Rod Steiger, Anne Bancroft, Ernest Borgnine, James Earl Jones, Anthony Quinn (among others, oh my!), this six-hour magnum opus has given flesh and humanity to the people and events of the Gospel narratives like no other movie before or since.
The film begins with the events prior to the Anunciation and Nativity, through the life of Christ, leading up to the Crucifixion and Resurrection, from Joseph's betrothal to Mary (played by Olivia Hussey, best known for her role as Juliet in the aforementioned film.) to the Empty Tomb on Easter Sunday. First-rate production allows us to observe with great detail the customs and daily life in first-century Judaea. The backdrop of Roman oppression and Jewish discontent is masterfully shown and successfully correlated to Jesus' ministry, in particular the political maneuvering of the cunning Herod (wondrously played by Peter Ustinov) and its effects on messianic expectation. Many persons mentioned only in passing or alluded to in the gospels such as Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate are portrayed with great credibility, allowing us to understand the historical figures' motives and intentions more fully.
Among the numerous superlative performances, surely the most notable is that of Robert Powell in his role as the Nazarene, whose performance subtly captures the humanity of the Son of God, neither adding human weakness where none is present (vis-a-vis The Last Temptation of Christ), nor resorting to docetic immutability (Greatest Story Ever Told). Indeed, one senses that Jesus is fully aware of who He is in this film.
In terms of scope, detail and production, this film is a must-see, setting a standard of excellence which unfortunately has not been met since. JESUS OF NAZARETH makes for great viewing not only for the seasoned Christian but for seekers and those interested in an intelligent approach to the life of Christ. SUPERB". - this Amazon.com customer gave this video a '5 star' rating.
Running time: 382 minutes.
"This animated feature-length life of Jesus boasts a stellar pedigree. Originally a BBC: Wales production, it showcases the voices of some of Britain's finest actors in any medium: Ralph Fiennes as a brooding and humble Jesus, Miranda Richardson as Mary Magdalene, Richard E. Grant as John the Baptist, and David Thewlis as Judas. The lovely, flute-heavy score is by Oscar winner Anne Dudley (The Full Monty). And clearly a lot of expense has gone into the Claymation-like animation....the weight of having such formidable actors play these familiar roles lends the production a certain credibility, and parents looking for good religious videos that won't insult their kids' intelligence will be thrilled." - Anne Hurley, Amazon.comAmazon.com customers gave this video the following glowing reviews:
"The best Jesus movie in the past decade. Now that is a pretty strong statement for me to make. After all I am a huge Christian Bale fan and I loved his performance as Jesus in "Mary, Mother of Jesus"...but how can I compare "Mary..." with the superb "The Miracle Maker" and I dont mean the story of Helen Keller. I remember hearing about the Miracle Maker and just rolling my eyes. "Great," I was thinking. "A boring claymation story of Jesus' life. Why cant they leave well enough alone?" When Easter came, I had completely forgotten about "The Miracle Maker" being on tv. My mom was flipping through the tv channels and she called me over to see this "crazy" thing on tv. Well it was the "Miracle Maker", I was enticed from the first glance. I caught it at the time Jesus was getting baptized by John and wow, I was impressed. This isnt like all the other claymation stories. There is a high level of technology put in to make the claymation Jesus...real. It is like a cross between an animated cartoon Jesus and the real life human being Jesus. It is a big trip. The actors do a fine magnificent job at their roles. If you had to pick only one Jesus movie, this would be it!" - this Amazon.com customer gave this video a '5 star' rating.
"Miracle Maker is Wonderful! I too saw this fantastic animated film on Easter, 2000 on television. And, I was spell bound! I was really moved by an animated movie! It was amazing how historically and Biblically accurate it was. I have come to expect some degree of "artistic license" in any film about Jesus (especially these days). But Miracle Maker kept such license to a minimum! I was also astounded that an animated movie could capture the feel of Israel at the time of Jesus so very well. The costuming of the characters, the appearance of the buildings, even down to the way the Jews typically ate! Finally, in this film Jesus looks Jewish! I found out from the film's website that the makers of this film actually did a vast amount of research for this film (on archaeology etc.) as well as consulted several Christian theologians to be Biblically accurate. The animation to is wonderful and is very intersting the way it shifts between "claymation" and 2D cartoon looking stuff. Very interesting. What is best of all though is the producers managed to catch a wonderful view of Jesus Himself. They really honored Him and the Gospel accounts (and for that I am really grateful!). In this film Jesus is compassionate, approachable, powerful, confident, laughs, cries, etc. In other words, He is shown as both human and God! How amazing! How truly amazing! Please see this wonderful film!" - this Amazon.com customer gave this video a '5 star' rating.
"Tackling the story of Jesus for film is bound to incur controversy. Yet, in a bold move, CBS produced the television miniseries Jesus, which not only retells the biblical story, but takes a look at the more human side of the man. Jeremy Sisto stars, and although it takes a little while for him to gather enough momentum to have us believing him in this role, overall he is surprisingly convincing. While the movie does stray from strict scripture--Jesus is shown feeling conflicted over his feelings for Lazarus's sister Mary; Satan, portrayed by Jeroen Krabbé, works hard at convincing Jesus to stray from his path--most of the plot will be familiar to viewers. Beginning with an adult Jesus, who works with his father as a carpenter, the program traces his life and death through resurrection. The strong supporting cast, including Jacqueline Bisset as Mary, Gary Oldman as Pontius Pilate, and Debra Messing as Mary Magdalene, lends to the credibility of the miniseries. This is a satisfying retelling of the life of Jesus and will please those who want new ways to explore biblical stories, as Jesus not only reinforces the ideals of the New Testament but shows Jesus as a complex individual." - Jenny Brown, Amazon.com
An Amazon.com customer gave this video the following glowing review:
"This movie changed my life! Before I was blessed to see this miniseries on TV, I was by no means a good Christian! I only went to church for weddings and funerals, and only thought of God when I wanted something material. After watching this movie, I was a born again Christian. Jeremy Sisto, who was one of my favorite actors to begin with, did such a wonderful job acting, I felt I was actually witnessing Jesus in action. The script was presented in modern language ( not the King James "thou" and "thine" mumbo jumbo) I gained so much understanding as to what Jesus really said and did, and the amazing people he touched. The next Sunday, which was Easter, I went to my first church service in years, and have been a devout follower of Christ since. I honestly believe that had I not seen this movie, I would be stuck as a non-believer, and I would be missing out on all of the wonderful things Christ has taught me. I recommend this movie for anyone who has doubts about Christ and the messages he brought to this world. Amen!" - this Amazon.com customer gave this video a '5 star' rating. "
"...Max von Sydow does beautiful work as Jesus - his spontaneous mourning at discovering his friend Lazarus has died is not like anything in other New Testament epics - and [director] Stevens renders the familiar tale with a handsome authenticity...Von Sydow's sensitive nobility sticks in the memory." - Tom Keogh, Amazon.com<
An Amazon.com customer gave this video the following glowing review:
"A huge sprawling Biblical epic. The Greatest Story Ever Told is a huge epic movie that boasts an impressive cast full of Hollywood notables. The movie follows the life of Jesus from his birth in a stable in Bethlehem to his teachings with his disciples all the way to his crucifixion and Resurrection. Because the film is so huge, many parts of the life of Jesus are just skipped over and talked about later by characters who saw it happen or heard about it. This is surprisingly effective to show how quickly Jesus' notoriety spread throughout the area. There are several very good scenes done with no sound except for Alfred Newman's fantastic score even though we know people in the background are screaming at Jesus as he walks by carrying the cross. One particularly effective scene involves Simon of Cyrene, played by Simon Poitier, helping Jesus carry the cross after he has fallen. As Jesus gets up, he grabs onto Simon's arm who helps him go on. It is a very short scene, but nonetheless very moving.The cast for this movie could go on for pages. Max von Sydow gives an excellent performance as Jesus Christ, although he might not look like the usually accepted idea of Jesus. Charlton Heston and Telly Savalas also give very good performances as John the Baptist and Pontius Pilate. The film also stars David McCallum as Judas, Jose Ferrer as Herod Antipas, Dorothy McGuire as Mary, Martin Landau as Ciaphias, Donald Pleasence as Satan(although he is credited as the Dark Hermit), and many others. The film also stars Michael Anderson JR, Roddy McDowall, Victor Buono, Ed Wynn, Sal Mineo, Ina Balin, Carroll Baker, Van Heflin, Jamie Farr, and so many more. There are several very small cameos most notably John Wayne, Shelley Winters, Sidney Poitier, and Claude Rains all of which are pretty good for how small they are. The Special Edition DVD offers the widescreen presentation, theatrical trailer, making of documentary, an altered scene during the crucifixion scene, still gallery, and a filmmaker's documentary. For an excellent look at the life of Jesus, if somewhat sanitized, check out The Greatest Story Ever Told!" - this Amazon.com customer gave this video a '5 star' rating.
An Amazon.com customer gave this video the following glowing review:
"Perfect Matt 24-Luke 21-Rev 13 -Tribulation/GreatTribulation. If you're trying to explain the End Times (i.e., the 7-year Tribulation, 3.5-year Great Tribulation) to your family, friends or associates, you won't find a better video than this one. Includes running commentary by Dr. Ed Hindson, Dr. Thomas Ice, Dr. Larry Poland and Dr. Tim LaHaye. Excellent presentation of material, news and documentary footage, plus state-of-the-art graphics and special effects. Wish there had been a DVD version for easy access to chapters.Actually the only doctrinal issue that I would differ with is LaHaye's statement of the world's population by mid-trib whereas I would say the Scriptures more accurately presents this figure at the end of the Tribulation. Don't let this keep you from ordering the video.
They really did their homework to come up with a decent presentation on this topic and spent the money for terrific production values. I recommend it especially to pastors who are trying to quickly get their church "up to speed" on these issues. This has to be one of the best videos on this subject ever produced. No drama, just Bible prophecy presented with news footage plus a few actors to portray some of the main characters.
Too bad they didn't note that Moslems had planted a graveyard in front of the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem during the Turkish rule. Knowing that the Messiah, Christ, would have to qualify as a Levite priest, they walled up the Eastern Gate and planted a graveyard in front of it. Levite priests are forbidden by Scripture to go through a graveyard. Somehow, I don't think this will be a problem for Him! (there are a lot of shots of the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem, with the graveyard in front of it, in this movie).
Get the movie and show it to your family and friends!" - this Amazon.com customer gave this video a '5 star' rating.
BBC documentary series exploring the life, times and teachings of Jesus Christ based on all available evidence pointing to his existence.An Amazon.com customer gave this video the following glowing review:
"Bold, fact-based, brings you closer to Jesus. This boxed set of 3 beautiful, fact-based videos examines the life and times, the turmoil, and the many aspects about the life of Jesus Christ -- based upon what information we have from the Bible, the gospels, and the Dead Sea Scrolls - and it does so in a very honest manner and based within the context of scientific / historical facts and accounts, as well as leaving the discussion of Jesus' Resurrection to a matter of one's faith as presented through the facts we have and information that is still available today after 2000 years! It's a realistic and poignant view, the best presentation of His life on video that I have ever seen, since the Zeffirelli version of 'Jesus of Nazareth'. It encourages further inquiry into the life and times of Jesus and it truly helps to bring us even closer to the man who died for us -- the son of God. It's an awe-inspiring video examination of the life of Christ in the format of a documentary and the most glorious work presented through a panel of experts of diverse specialties, from Israel, Great Britain, and France. The BBC has outdone itself with this series! Excellent work, puts the viewer on that emotional and spiritual realm as the story of Christ is recounted. Superb within the context of the time when and where Christ lived. It beautifully recreates the first temple and the cities existent at the time, taking us through Israel to get a feel for this period in history. This video series is the first to make me cry in a long time through its candid presentation of the life of the son of God.I cannot say enough about this video which I highly recommend to all! A video of substance. This videotape series is a gem of a discovery for me and I have watched it about 4 times in its entirety within the week of having purchased it! You'll visit Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem, Gethsemane, the Mount of Olives, the Dome of the Rock, Sepphorus in recreations of how it all appeared based on Biblical descriptions. Fascinating and inspiring, will undoubtedly bring students, teachers, or followers closer to the Lord to love and praise Him even more!" - this Amazon.com customer gave this video a '5 star' rating.
"This 1961 version of Jesus' story gives historical context to the best-known Biblical tale and features many memorable moments, such as a moving Sermon on the Mount and a vixenish Salome dancing for her stepfather in a performance that rivals today's MTV video offerings. Orson Welles keeps the 168-minute film moving along with informative narration helpful to those who haven't read the New Testament in a while..." - Kimberly Heinrichs, Amazon.comAmazon.com customers gave this video the following glowing reviews:
"EPIC OF FAITH. For its time "King of Kings" was exceptional. This was the first color and sound film in which the face of Christ is seen. Because the film was heavily edited and time constraints were put upon it, many of Christ's teachings and miracles were not shown, many were only mentioned, this was unfortunate . the Sermon on the Mount though was very well done. The music by Miklos Rozsa is glorious and now the entire score , after 40 years, appears in a new 2 CD album by Rhino Records.The film tries to portray Jesus as a figure bounded by history and tradition therefore emphasis is placed on Zealots and their hatred of all things Roman. Had time not been a problem, perhaps more of the human personality of Jesus could have been explored as in the current video "Matthew" and CBS miniseries "Jesus." All in all, Jeffrey Hunter gave a credible performance... I feel there should have been more emphasis placed on the Jewish scribes and Pharisees and the fact that they wanted Jesus put to death for blasphemy and that they were the ones who precipitated his death. Under Roman occupation they could not put anyone to death so Jesus is turned over to Pilate and he condemns Jesus for sedition for wanting to be king. Failure to blame the Sanhedrin is not historically accurate..." - this Amazon.com customer gave this video a '5 star' rating."Classic Transfer! Whatever Warner's is doing to make their 'classic' films pop bigger and brighter than their current releases - should definitely put Fox and ESPECIALLY Universal on notice.
This transfer is simply gorgeous...A beautiful film that has been given the royal treatment. This one must be added to your collection" .(this review refers to the DVD edition] - this Amazon.com customer gave this video a '5 star' rating.
"For 2000 years the popular image of Jesus Christ has been set in stone. Now, as the millennium approaches, questions long debated in scholarly circles are coming to the forefront. Armed with ancient sources like the Dead Sea Scrolls, the papyrus books at Nag Hammadi and long overlooked writings from the early church, modern scholars are making an impact with new theories on the most important figure of the Western World. From scholars to students, millions have studied the life of Jesus Christ according to the four Gospels. But these writings, penned decades after he died, tell of a Jesus of faith. What is really known about the history of Jesus? Join the creators of A&E’s acclaimed Who Wrote The Bible for another journey of discovery and learn more about the God who is worshipped today by millions. Now, some 2,000 years later, questions long-debated in scholarly circles are coming to the forefront."An Amazon.com customer gave this video the following glowing review:
" The Unknown Jesus. This two volume set is excellent. The known theologians and bibilical scholars used in this film have varying points of view and this film manages to tie in all of their theories and beliefs into a well made and easy to follow documentary. They show the many sides of a history making and controversial figure--Jesus of Nazareth. The film covers his birth, and his life; leaving no stone unturned from the controversial "virgin birth" theory, his brothers and sisters and family life, his mysterious disappearance from age 15-30, his ministry, possible marriage, the controversial healings and miracles, death, and resurrection. Regardless of your religious bent you will find this film interesting and thought provoking whether you agree with it or not. I think you will learn something you did not know or think about the man called Jesus. I highly recommend this film if you would like to know more about the real, and historical Jesus these theologians have discovered with new finding in this century. This film piqued my interest for further study. " - this Amazon.com customer gave this video a '5 star' rating.
NOTE: this video set is theologically liberal;
"Explore the life of Jesus and the movement he started, challenging familiar assumptions and conventional notions about the origins of Christianity. Drawing upon new and sometimes controversial historical evidence and interviews with the nation's leading New Testament scholars, the series transports the viewer back two thousand years to the time and place where Jesus once lived and preached. The film traces Jesus' life, focusing on the events that occurred after he died and on his first followers, the men and women whose belief, conviction, and martyrdom created a major movement that transformed the Roman Empire in the space of only three hundred years."
it is included here for its general historical value."Becoming a Christian at the beginning of the first millennium was a sure-fire way to get transplanted to the outer fringe of society and expose oneself to an unprecedented level of intolerance. Times were harsh and this rising renegade sect of Judaism had more then their share of obstacles to overcome. These men and women were forced to wrestle with their Jewish faith and traditions and confront the Romans and their "zero tolerance" policy during the Pax Romana, while facing infighting among the various Christian sects about how to interpret and understand the teachings of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Frontline's From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians is not a tale of joy, peace, and acceptance but of the perseverance of the early Christians, whose daily lives were shaded with conflict as they struggled to practice and spread their newfound faith. From Jesus to Christ recounts the life of Jesus Christ, the events that occurred after he died, and the hardships his first followers faced while teaching his message. The story is told not from a religious angle per se, but is effectively presented in a historical, sociological, and humanistic manner by today's leading New Testament academics. Drawing on the latest, and often controversial, historical evidence and interviews, the documentary vividly transports the viewer back to the times of the Christians whose belief, conviction, and martyrdom would create the movement that would turn the Roman Empire upside down in the next three centuries." - Rob Bracco, Amazon.com
"Was Jesus a carpenter? An only child? Quiet and meek? Probably not. If you're surprised, perhaps you should take a look at A&E's Biography: Jesus, which reexamines his life in the context of his times. There's not much to go on beyond the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (which may have been written by others after their deaths), and there's certainly no documentary footage, but A&E uses interviews with Biblical scholars, photography of the beautiful Galileean countryside, and dramatic re-creations to bring his actions to life. It's pretty much inarguable that Jesus has had a greater impact on our culture than any other person in history, so the more we know about him, the better. Biography: Jesus will surprise and delight you with its rich exploration of his life." - Rob Lightner, Amazon.comFrom the Back Cover: He was a simple carpenter, yet His words transformed the course of Western Civilization. From His birth in Bethlehem to His final days and crucifixion, here is the story of Jesus of Galilee. Join leading scholars and theologians as they explore the mysteries and myths of His miraculous life and legacy. Walk the Holy Lands and hear His words. And discover new archaeological findings that are yielding fresh insights into the life and times of one of the most celebrated and revered figures in history. BIOGRAPHY proudly presents the inspiring account of the greatest story ever told - the life of Jesus of Galilee."
NOTE: this video set is theologically very liberal;
Video description: "It is an epic beyond anything Hollywood could hope to imagine, embracing emperors and itinerant preachers, the teachings of a man accepted by millions as the Savior and the battles fought in His name. From the Crucifixion to the coming of the Crusades, CHRISTIANITY: THE FIRST THOUSAND YEARS traces the rise of one of the world’s great religions. Scholars explore the intertwined fates of the Roman Empire and the faith it persecuted, then later adopted. Theologians reveal how the New Testament was shaped, how pagan festivals were transformed into Christian holidays, and how modern discoveries shed new light on the dawn of Christianity. Drawing on ancient texts, the Scriptures and visits to sites like Istanbul’s magnificent Hagia Sophia, this is a spellbinding journey through CHRISTIANITY: THE FIRST THOUSAND YEARS".
it is included here for its general historical value.
An Amazon.com reviewer said of this series:
"This story is enormously unlikely." - Elaine Pagels, Professor of Religion, Princeton University"Pagels is right on the mark: what began two millennia ago as a Jewish sect has grown into the most widespread religion in history, despite unbridled oppression in its early years and countless denominational splits ever since. The last few years have seen a resurgence of interest in church history, and A&E's documentary Christianity: The First Thousand Years is a splendid example of solid scholarly research meshed with entertaining production values that speaks to this interest. The result is a resource with equal appeal for the historian and the theologian alike.The issues that confronted the early church seem now quite strange since there are 2,000 years of tradition behind them today:
Most of these issues were solved at the Council of Nicaea and at other early church councils--though authority of the papacy at Rome is a persistent divider both between the Eastern and Western churches and between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. Christianity: The First Thousand Years provides background and the original perspectives that led to the East-West split - split whose basis we hardly question today. The rapid spread of the church from the controversial conversion of Constantine to the conquests of Otto is tied closely to the history of the Roman Empire itself. Without the empire as its catapult, it is unlikely that Christianity would have spread even to remote Iceland and Finland by the year 1000. The early church modeled itself structurally on imperial institutions, and it integrated itself into the fabric of imperial life. Indeed, the central role of Christianity in Byzantine life is one of numerous often-overlooked but fascinating historical perspectives that A&E manages to cover here.
- Should gentile converts to the Jesus movement have to adhere to the laws of kashrut?
- What authority did Paul have as an apostle though he never personally knew Jesus?
- What is Jesus' relationship to God?
- How can a tripartite Christian theology be resolved with Judaism's strong tradition of monotheism?
- Which texts should form the Christian scripture?
- What relationship do the apostolic bishops at Jerusalem, Damascus, Rome, Constantinople, and elsewhere have to each other--and how should the church be structured?
- What should be the central statement of faith of Christians?
The four-part set features Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, whose unusual but pleasant voices will be well known to viewers of A&E's TV series Mysteries of the Bible. Like the TV series, Christianity: The First Thousand Years is marked by thorough scholarship, including interviews with many highly regarded scholars such as Pagels. Snippets of these interviews are interspersed with photography from the Holy Land and some reenactments, leading to an informative and revealing exploration of the early church." - Erik J. Macki, Amazon.com
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