From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians
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DVD details
Actor: William CranBrand: Paramount
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 240 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-08-24
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Pbs (Direct)
DVD Reviews of From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians
DVD Review: Completely imbalanced perspective
Summary: 1 Stars
There is not a single conservative scholar interviewed in this PBS special. And yet we get to hear from radical liberal scholars like John Dominic Crossan, Elaine Pagels and Helmut Koester. I guess we should expect an unbalanced perspective since PBS created the series.
So much of this series is based on tenuous theory and the ultimate picture given is horribly skewed. At one point Pagels wonders out loud how the movement she's depicted could have possibly been successful. She says it's a mystery. Of course it's a mystery since she's gutted Christianity of any identity.
The Nag Hammadi texts are said to reveal how diverse early Christianity was. Prior to their discovery, the video insinuates, everyone believed that Christianity was a homogenous movement. As if we never had the writings of Irenaeus, Tertullian and Epiphanius telling about the plethora of gnostic groups of the second and third centuries! Gnosticism was not simply another genuine trajectory within early Christianity though. It was an offshoot, a divergence from orthodoxy. It was, I'm sorry to say, a heretical movement. The pannel acts as if Gnostics had just as much a rightful claim to authentic Christianity as orthodox believers. This is not the case. Orthodox Christians had bishops that were installed by the Apostles or by one of their successors. They had a history and traditions that could be traced back to the apostles. These were points that early Christians constantly made against the Gnostics, but the significance of these claims the pannelists don't even stop to consider.
In the end, Jesus and early Christianity become exactly what these 60's-70's generation scholars want them to be. Jesus turns out to have been someone who emphasized oneness with nature. He was crucified for being politically subversive, anti-establishment. He made false predictions about his soon return since, of course, prophecy is impossible according to these scholars' naturalist worldview.
Early believers were very diverse. There was no orthodoxy as such, only wonderful diversity: cultural diversity, doctrinal diversity, all sorts of diversity. If they were alive today they would be Democrats. They would probably have supported the stimulus package as well.
I get so tired of this sort of thing. It would be nice if for once we could see an honest discussion about some of the "controversial" claims made in videos like this. It's remarkable to me how the left habitually ignores opposing arguments, acting as if they are just telling you "the facts" that are well established by "scholars". Another annoying thing: notice how all the pannel members have smirks on their faces whenever they talk, especially when they make claims that they know are controversial. It's like they revel in showing Christians that their religion is bunk.
DVD Review: One of the best
Summary: 5 Stars
This is by far and away one of the best historical investigations of the primitive Church i have yet seen.
Although the fundies among us will find a few sticky wickets in the results of an obviously careful piece of scholarly research, i found it enlightening and quite thought provoking. A must see for serious inquirers of early church history. And with Frontline, how can you go wrong?
Their findings presented no serious challenge to my faith, An excellent piece of religious and historical investigation..
DVD Review: Value Depends on Your Purpose
Summary: 2 Stars
This video series is an object lesson on assumptions. It demonstrates how far off base even intelligent scholars can be when a basic assumption precedes all data, thereby colouring grossly all subsequent data and analysis.
The overpowering, underlying assumption to this entire series, and for the scholars interviewed, is that Jesus lived, was very likely martyred for his teachings, very likely rose from the dead, and very likely was a son of god, or the Christ, the son of the God.
Never minding the data is what most of these scholars have done, which makes them professional myth-makers, little more. Never mind that many of them are excellent speakers and excellent story tellers, and caring human beings. Never mind that the video series was written, filmed and produced with the utmost care and delicacy towards the sensitivities of every sort of "believer", whether Jewish or Christian. This series is, above all, a proponent of a myth. In this sense I give the series 5 Stars. But from the perspective of the latest scholarship, discoveries of documents, discoveries within documents, discoveries in archeology, I give this series 0.5 Stars.
Of course, Frontline is no stranger to myth-making, but mostly their expertise in that category lies within the political arena. After all, they are, in essence, an organ of the state.
DVD Review: you will find your reflection in it
Summary: 3 Stars
i'm one of those people the series calls "orthodox Christians", theologically conservative, and knowledgable about many of the issues they talk about.
the show strikes me as a bit arrogant to assume that their particular viewpoint is widely shared, it isn't, but rather is restricted to academics and theologically liberal churches. but i supposed when they count noses on the issues, these are the only people whose opinions or noses count. sadly, it is not a unbiased presentations but rather the current state of the art for a specific theological tradition.
but if you can stomach the documentary hypothesis, Q, and the principle that prophecy is impossible so if a document mentions X that it must have been written after event X has occurs, there is some value to watching it.
DVD Review: have watched this over and over
Summary: 5 Stars
I am not religious but have watched this doc many times. Initially I had a VHS copy from the broadcast, then bought the DVD. It is extremely well presented and gives a lot of insight into the time of Jesus and the following years of the early Christians. Highly recommended.
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