CBS
Broadcasts "Jesus" Miniseries
|
Author: David Buckna |
Essays by
Author |
CBS
<http://www.cbs.com/>
[May 14 & 17]
WIC
stations: CHEK (Victoria), BCTV (Vancouver), CISA (Lethbridge). CICT
(Calgary),
ITV (Edmonton), ONtv (Hamilton), CFCF (Montreal) [May 13 & 17]
*
>From
the first 30-second "Jesus" promo on CBS:
HIS
BIRTH CHANGED THE WAY TIME IS MEASURED.
"I
am with you until the end of the world."
HIS
LIFE CHANGED THE DESTINY OF BILLIONS.
"Rise
up and walk!"
HIS
DEATH CHANGED THE COURSE OF HISTORY.
"That's
why I was born."
"To
die?"
THIS
MAY, CBS PRESENTS THE FIRST GREAT MINISERIES EVENT OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM.
"I
have to give everything."
"My
God!"
GARY
OLDMAN. JACQUELINE BISSET. DEBRA MESSING. AND JEREMY SISTO.
JESUS.
CBS,
Sunday, May 14th.
Promo
2:
He was
praised, cursed, tempted, tortured.
His
life was short, but it changed the world forever.
"That's
why I was born."
"To
die?"
"To
prove God's love."
On May 14th,
forget everything you've ever seen.
Experience
for yourself who He really was.
JESUS.
CBS,
Sunday, May 14th.
*
Promo
3:
CBS
MINI-SERIES EVENT
"Through
Me God will reveal His love for mankind."
"In
Him there's something greater than in any man."
THEY
BELIEVED IN HIM.
"Truly
you are the Son of God."
THEY
WORSHIPPED HIM.
"Praise Jesus! Praise Jesus! Praise Jesus!"
BUT
WHEN HE CHOSE LOVE...
OVER
HATE.
"I'm
not here to lead a violent revolution, Judas."
THEY
CRUCIFIED HIM.
"Crucify
him."
"I
have to give everything to prove God's love."
JESUS.
Coming
to CBS Sunday, May 14th.
http://www.cbs.com/mini/jesus/
http://www.cbs.com/network/tvshows/mini/jesus/
*
"Jesus"
[Internet Movie Data Base]
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0199232
Cast:
Jeremy
Sisto (Jesus)
rest of
cast, listed alphabetically:
Claudio Amendola (Barabbas)
G.W.
Bailey (Livio)
Luca
Barbareschi (Herod Antipas)
Jacqueline Bisset (Mary)
Jeroen
Krabbé (Satan)
Tom
Lockyer (Judas)
Debra
Messing (Mary Magdalene)
Armin Mueller-Stahl (Joseph)
David
O'Hara (John the Baptist)
Gary
Oldman (Pontius Pilate)
Gabriella Pession (Salome)
Elena
Sofia Ricci (Herodias)
Stefania
Rocca (Mary of Bethania)
Luca
Zingaretti (Peter)
Teleplay:
Suzette Couture
Music:
Patrick Williams
Director:
Roger Young
Assistant
Directors: Sergio Ercolessi, Barbara Pastrovich, Emanuela Minoli,
Jeffrey
Vacirca
Executive
Producers: Judd Parkin and Lorenzo Minoli
Production
Companies:
Five
http://www.fivemileriverfilms.com/recent.html
Jesus -
Progetto Bibbia - Raiuno
Radiotelevisione
Italiana (RAI)
http://www.raiuno.rai.it/raiuno/schede/0010/001029.htm
Interview
with Lorenzo Minoli
http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/jesus_mini_series.htm
"We
wanted to emphasize the fact that Jesus is still with us." - Lorenzo
Minoli
*
'Jesus'
won't bless TNT
By John
Dempsey,
http://www.variety.com/search/article.asp?articleID=1117478602
NEW
YORK - CBS is close to a deal to buy the U.S. rights to a new four-hour $17
million miniseries on the life of Jesus after LUX, the producer, ended
negotiations with TNT, which had spent the last year developing the film.
"We
walked away from TNT because it wanted to fill the movie with magic and special
effects, featuring a Jesus who flew through the air," Lorenzo Minoli, the
executive producer of "Jesus," said from
Minoli
says Julie Weitz, executive VP of original programming for TNT, became fatally
enamored of the huge ratings racked up two months ago on NBC by the $30 million
four-hour miniseries "Merlin," from Hallmark Entertainment. A TNT
executive, who requested anonymity, acknowledged that "we wanted something
different from just another miniseries with actors in
togas
walking endlessly through the sands."
"Without
being irreverent, we wanted to bring out the spirituality and the mysticism and
do it in an entertaining way," the executive said. For example, one
suggestion by TNT was to turn Gabriel, the archangel, into a Merlin-type figure
who would weave throughout the entire four hours performing magic and
commenting on the action.
But one
of the producers of "Jesus" said Gabriel appears in only one scene in
the script, when the archangel tells Mary that she's pregnant with Jesus.
"TNT wanted to turn Gabriel," says this producer," into the
emcee from 'Cabaret.' "
Network
sources say CBS will pony up about $10 million in license fees for the rights
to "Jesus." The cast is still to be chosen, but Roger Young will
direct, with production to start in
Drawing
on the partnership of LUX, RAI and BetaTaurus, Minoli has produced a number of
original biblical movies for TNT in the past, including "Joseph,"
which won the Emmy in 1995 for outstanding miniseries, "Jacob,"
"Moses," "Samson & Delilah" and "David."
As the
Nielsen ratings began to slip on the biblical movies, TNT passed on Minoli's
three most recent ones: "Solomon," with Ben Cross and Max von Sydow;
"Jeremiah," with Klaus Maria Brandauer and Oliver Reed; and
"Esther," currently in production with F. Murray Abraham and Jurgen
Prochnow. Minoli says he'll announce a
Minoli,
who declined to comment on the CBS deal, said TNT had expressed interest in
"Jesus" as a possible Easter perennial.
*
Oldman
to Pilate big mini coin
By
Jenny Hontz,
http://www.variety.com/search/article.asp?articleID=1117493659
Gary
Oldman has been cast as Pontius Pilate in the upcoming CBS miniseries
"Jesus."
Even
though his is a supporting role, Oldman is receiving at least $1 million for
his part as the Roman governor who ruled Judea and who ignored his own personal
misgivings to order the crucifixion of Jesus. The other characters, including
Jesus, are close to being cast.
Five
Mile River Films and Lux Vide S.p.A. who joined forces to produce the CBS movie
"Nicholas' Gift," are returning to produce "Jesus," which
is likely to air during a sweeps period next season. The mini about the life of
Jesus is scheduled to begin shooting in Morocco May 10.
Oldman
has starred in films such as "Lost in Space," "The Fifth
Element," "Air Force One," "Bram Stoker's Dracula,"
"JFK" and "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead."
Oldman
is repped by the William Morris Agency and managed by Doug Urbanski.
*
May 8,
1999
http://www.herald.com/content/today/entertainment/tv/digdocs/049972.htm
CBS
will present a four-hour movie called simply Jesus, starring Gary Oldman as
Pontius Pilate. The title role has not been cast.
CBS is promising
a film that emphasizes the humanity of the lead character -- though it will
also feature several miracles. Those who have seen the first draft of the
script describe it as a portrait of the adult Jesus, who starts out as a
carpenter before moving on to bigger things.
Jesus
may be one of the most expensive productions in recent television history, with
a budget estimated at $30 million and locations in Morocco standing in for the
Holy Land.
*
Bisset
Stars in New Jesus Movie, May 10, 1999
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/ap/entertainment/
MUNICH,
Germany (AP) - Jacqueline Bisset plays Mary and Armin Mueller Stahl is Joseph
in a new made-for-TV movie about the life of Jesus.
Filming
began Monday in Morocco, said the Kirch media group, which is financing the
movie with several other European broadcasters. The movie will be shown on
several European networks and on CBS in the United States.
The
title role in "The Bible - Jesus" is being played by an American,
25-year-old Jeremy Sisto.
The
two-part movie is the latest in a project that began in 1993 to film the entire
Bible. Ten episodes based on the Old Testament have been completed with stars
including Richard Harris, Ben Kingsley, Dennis Hopper and Klaus Maria
Brandauer.
*
Note
from David: Craig Keener writes in The IVP Bible Background Commentary -- New
Testament that at betrothal (which commonly lasted one year) "Mary would
have probably been between the ages of twelve and fourteen (sixteen at the
oldest), Joseph perhaps between eighteen and twenty; their parents likely
arranged their marriage, with Mary and Joseph's consent." (p. 47)
So even
if Mary had been 16 when she was betrothed (and close to 17 when she gave birth
to Jesus) by the time Jesus began his public ministry at age 30, Mary would be
around 47 years of age. And about 50 during the time of Jesus' crucifixion and
resurrection.
http://www.angelfire.com/wi2/Jesus/index.html
http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/2874/Jeremy.html
http://www.angelfire.com/me3/JeremySisto/index.html
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/jeremysistoclub
Jeremy
Sisto interview
http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/2874/JSInterview.html
[excerpt]
Questions:
latenight says: Has your family always been supportive of your career decision?
Jeremy
Sisto: My father, when I was growing up, was a farmer, but before that he was a
jazz musician, and is doing that again. He's a prominent jazz musician in
Kentucky. My Mom and step-Dad are actors themselves. They've always supported
me. My Mom drove me to auditions, to plays - and she was extremely supportive.
She's an amazing, wonderful woman, and I'm very lucky to have her in my life.
My father is a Zen Buddhist, and he tries to veer away from any drama in his
life - drama stirs up the peacefulness he seeks in his life, so he doesn't
exactly understand acting, but he's very proud of me.
*
Stars'
choice quotes
By Bill
Brioux, Toronto Sun, January 25, 2000
"I
told my father and he was excited ... then I told my mom and she said, 'Yeah,
of course. That's because he thinks that makes him God.' " - Jeremy Sisto,
on the reaction of his family when he told them he had the title role in the
CBS mini-series Jesus
*
Castings,
May 12, 1999
http://www.variety.com/search/article.asp?articleID=1117500351
CASTINGS:
"Will & Grace" star Debra Messing has landed the role of Mary
Magdalene in the four-hour CBS mini "Jesus," joining Gary Oldman,
Armin Mueller-Stahl and Jeroen Krabbe. Directed by Roger Young, the mini shoots
in Morocco starting May 17. She's repped by the Gersh Agency and managers Molly
Madden and Jeff Golenberg of 3 Arts.
*
Casting
call, May 12, 1999
http://mrshowbiz.go.com/news/Todays_Stories/990512/Castingcall051299.html
Well,
if Noah gets his own miniseries, it's only fair that the Messiah should too.
Gary Oldman started work this week as Pontius Pilate in CBS's Jesus.
Christ
is played by Jeremy Sisto, who the kids might recognize as icky Elton from
1995's Clueless. You know, he was the yuppie wannabe who slimes all over Cher
(Alicia Silverstone) and abandons her in the middle of nowhere? Yep, that's our
Son of God ...Jacqueline Bisset makes a glamorous Mary, and Armin Mueller-Stahl
plays Joseph, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
*
Ultimate
TV, May 17, 1999
http://www.ultimatetv.com/news/f/a/99/05/17tvschedules_cbs3.html
*
Screen
Notes - Jesus - BC Christian News, July, 1999
http://www.bcchristiannews.org/july99/screen.html
*
CBS
takes 'Jesus' to to the Pope, November 24, 1999
http://mrshowbiz.go.com/news/Todays_Stories/991124/jesusminis112499.html
How to
settle who has the best Jesus miniseries? Let the Pope decide. Although NBC got
its religious-themed TV movie Mary, Mother of Jesus, starring Christian Bale
and Pernilla August, on the air first, CBS is hoping to get the Pope's stamp of
approval for its yet-to-air mini Jesus.
CBS
Television CEO Leslie Moonves will have an audience with Pope John Paul II on
Thursday to deliver a copy of his network's upcoming miniseries, reports
Variety.
If His
Holiness isn't impressed by Moonves or his lead actors Jeremy Sisto (Jesus) and
Jacqueline Bisset (Mary), he might be moved by country singer LeAnn Rimes, who
contributed a song to the miniseries. They'll all be traveling to the Vatican
for a papal midday reception.
The
four-hour miniseries, slated for the May sweeps, was filmed in Morocco and
Malta this summer.
Getting
approval from the Pope isn't unheard of in Hollywood: The religious leader gave
a thumbs up to Roberto Benigni's Life Is Beautiful.
*
Salon People
by Amy
Reiter, November 29, 1999
http://www.salon.com/people/col/reit/1999/11/29/np1128/
And
speaking of baubles ... there's a little extra ring kissing going on in
Hollywood circles these days. Variety reports that CBS Television CEO Leslie
Moonves, actors Jeremy Sisto and Jacqueline Bisset and singer LeAnn Rimes have
scored an audience with the pope to deliver a copy of "Jesus," the
upcoming miniseries. Watch for white smoke if Il Papa likes the flick, black if
he thinks it stinks.
*
http://www.jeremysisto.com/Updates.htm
On
December 1, 1999 Jeremy returned from Italy where he was honored at the premier
of "JESUS" which took place in Rome's lovely Auditorio S. Cecilia,
filled beyond capacity with more than 2100 people. Jeremy sat with Jacqueline
Bisset, who played mother Mary. The gala affair was attended by critics and
dignitaries alike, including President Ciampi and Prime
Minister
D'Alema. The paparazzi took full advantage as the stars filed out of the
theatre. While in Rome Jeremy did
numerous press conferences, TV interviews, guest appearances, and had
the great honor of meeting Pope John Paul II. "JESUS" was broadcast
on Sunday, December 5 and Monday, December 6 by RAI (Italian State TV) and made
record audience shares. On the second night the share was 43%! It was a huge
success and everyone was thrilled.
*
http://www.newstimes.com/archive99/dec3099/tvb.htm
The
"Jesus" miniseries...became Italy's highest-rated program of the
year, attracting a total of 22 million viewers on Dec. 5 and 6.
CBS
Makes History, January 12, 2000
http://www.ultimatetv.com/news/Features.html?6025
Six new
CBS series and specials, previewed Wednesday at the annual Winter Television Critics
Association press tour, either portray historical events or revive television
history.
"Jesus"
-- the much-talked about biblical mini-series that prompted a meeting with the
pope -- dates back the farthest and has the biggest sandals to fill, as one
reporter joked. When title star Jeremy Sisto told his mother how pleased his
father
was that he was playing the Lord, his mom replied, "Of course, because
that makes him God."
The
miniseries, which co-stars Debra Messing (pictured) and Jaqueline Bisset and
airs in May, received the pope's blessing, but it also sparked a few inherent
controversies, such as the on-screen Jesus' archetypal but historically
unlikely Aryan looks. Research also shows that logistically, only Pontius
Pilate could have condemned Jesus to death, said producer Lorenzo Minoli. But, he added, "We are
not re-inventing the gospel. We're just trying to give a historical
perspective."
*
Jesus,
sexy? CBS is pleasing at least some of the people by Hal Boedeker, January 22,
2000
http://www.bergen.com/yourtime/jesus200001222.htm
*
Hollywood
Theologizing Feeds Americans' Fascination with Life of Jesus,
Says
Hamilton College Expert, March 21, 2000
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/000321/easter_ham_1.html
CLINTON,
N.Y., March 21 /PRNewswire/ -- As recent popular magazine covers proclaim,
Americans remain fascinated by Jesus. Major motion pictures present a variety
of images of Jesus to a hungry movie-going population while the TV networks vie
for at-home viewers with their own versions of the Jesus story. "A huge
amount of theologizing is coming out of Hollywood and it's very
influential," says Steve Humphries-Brooks, a religious studies professor
at Hamilton College.
"Unfortunately,
these portrayals are not always accurate," he says. Humphries-Brooks
wonders how far movies about Jesus' life will go to draw viewers. He's anxious
to see the upcoming CBS mini-series, Jesus, that is to be broadcast in May.
Hollywood
images of Jesus' life are at times pious, as in Franco Zeffirelli's Jesus of
Nazareth, the first made-for-tv miniseries (1977). At other times they are seen
as challenges to the proper image of Jesus and may be labeled as blasphemous,
such as Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ (1989). But all have one thing
in common -- Hollywood films about Jesus' life that are shown during Easter,
Passover and other religious holidays are largely fictional and take great
liberties with the Bible, says Humphries-Brooks.
He
finds the choice of actors chosen to portray Jesus and the people of the times
intriguing. "Zeffirelli's movie was the most interesting but it was beset
by the same 'surfer Jesus.' There in the middle of the Mediterranean is Jesus
as a blue-eyed blonde."
Humphries-Brooks
wonders if the films about Jesus are an attempt to be true to the look and
people of Palestine in the first century, or simply a way to feature well-known
caucasian actors because Americans identify with superstars. "We envy them
and want to live like them. So they're very appealing and influential. In
looking at Jesus movies, what are viewers
going to
look at -- how closely the movie follows the Gospel, or who's starring in
it?"
As a
result he says that many people incorrectly base their knowledge of Jesus' life
on those films, not on the Bible. These misconceptions among students led him
to create the course, The Celluloid Savior.
"Films
show the extent to which the story of Jesus has been freed from specific church
dogmatic control," says Humphries-Brooks, who is writing a book on his
observations. "In fact, Jesus has become highly secularized."
While
Jesus of Nazareth is the most historically accurate, other films add a bit of
fiction to the life of Jesus. The idea that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute,
for example, doesn't exist in the Gospels, but it's a common theme in film
versions.
The same
is true of Judas, a relatively minor character in the gospels, but a major
character in Cecil B. DeMille's King of Kings and in Jesus Christ Superstar.
Judas' important role in movies is somewhat surprising Humphries-Brooks says.
The Gospel of Matthew says Judas betrays Jesus for money and eventually hangs
himself, but many films stress that finances were
not his
only motivation.
Many of
the films studied in Humphries-Brooks' class are consistent in accurately
treating some portions of the Gospel story, including the Passion of Christ,
events leading up to the crucifixion, scenes of Jesus with children and the
appearance of a tempting Satan.
Humphries-Brooks
says that students who take his Celluloid Savior course come away with a
different view of Jesus' life.
"Most
become more conscious of the modern cultural rootedness of their perceptions.
They come to realize that Jesus is very different from us, not the 'regular
person' that many films depict him as."
SOURCE:
Hamilton College
---
407F
The Celluloid Savior. A seminar in biblical studies on the representation of
Jesus in motion pictures. Prerequisite, two courses in Religious Studies or
consent of instructor. Maximum enrollment, 12. Humphries-Brooks.
http://www.hamilton.edu/academics/catalogue/courses/Religious.html
Note
from David...Steve Humphries-Brooks comments: "Zeffirelli's movie was the
most interesting but it was beset by the same 'surfer Jesus.' There in the
middle of the
I've
since learned Humphries-Brooks' comment referred to the depiction of Jesus as a
youth, where he was shown as a blue-eyed blonde amongst a cast of darker
actors. British actor Robert Powell, who portrayed Jesus as an adult, had blue
eyes and brown hair:
Click
on photo:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6302643627.01.LZZZZZZZ.gif
Related
articles by Peter T. Chattaway:
The
gospel according to film
The
http://peter.chattaway.net/articles/tatum.htm
Jesus
at the movies
Books
& Culture Magazine, March/April 2000
http://www.christianityonline.com/bc/2000/002/2.10.html
The
genre of Jesus films is as old as the artform
BC
Christian News, April 2000
http://www.bcchristiannews.org/april00/genre.html
*
Jesus Christ,
TV Star?
by Dave
Urbanski, CCM, April 2000
http://www.ccmcom.com/ccmmag/00apr/cover_story.html
*
Jeroen
Krabbé (Satan in the "Jesus" miniseries) "is set to direct his
second film The Discovery of Heaven based on the acclaimed novel. Set to film
in the spring on 2000, this seems like a major release, complete with an
international cast and a 15 million dollar budget, the biggest budget to be
used for a film in
http://www.angelfire.com/wa/jeroenkrabbe/hiscareer.html
The
Discovery of Heaven: A Novel (1997)
by
Harry Mulisch, Paul Vincent (translator)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140239375/
*
MUSIC:
Angel
Records to Release Patrick Williams Original Score Album for JESUS Mini-Series,
by Ford
A. Thaxton
http://x22.deja.com/=dnc/[ST_rn=ps]/getdoc.xp?AN=593253843&CONTEXT=955866671.800653327&hitnum=0
Jesus:
Epic Mini-Series Original Score
by Patrick
Williams
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6305817456/
Patrick
Williams
http://www.patrickwilliams.net/
Jesus:
Music From & Inspired By The Epic Mini Series-Soundtrack
Various
Artists
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004S57L/
Review
by Jerry McCulley
Jesus
has been many things to many people: Son of God, carpenter, Rock of Ages, and
social radical. But now inspiration for "Epic Mini Series" and
adult-contemporary-oriented soundtrack album? Irony be damned: in the golden
age of marketing, it only makes sense to wrap the gospel in slick, radio
friendly pop. Skeptics may balk at its blatant misappropriation of 1970s
chestnuts like one-hit-wonder Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky"
(its Zen overtones rewritten for dogmatic correctness by DC Talk) and Earth
Wind & Fire's "Shining Star" (strangely recast here as minor-key
hip-hop dirge by Yolanda Adams), but strong efforts by LeAnn Rimes and Steven
Curtis Chapman will please the faithful. Compared with Patrick Williams's
brooding score (available in its entirety as a separate release), the efforts
of 98 Degrees and Hootie & the
Blowfish
almost seem to walk on water--which is a nice way to say they're lighter than
air. The major sin the Jesus soundtrack seems guilty of is preaching to the
converted; the music and message are full of reassurance and hope, but they're
often as personally challenging as an Up with People road show.-- Jerry
McCulley
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/000317/ca_capitol_1.html
The
complete track listing for Music From (And Inspired By) "JESUS," is
as follows:
1. Jesus - Theme from the Original Soundtrack
(Patrick Williams)
2. I Need You (LeAnn Rimes)
3. Jesus, He Loves Me (Edwin McCain)
4. Nobody Ever (Only You) (Steven Curtis
Chapman)
5. Spirit In The Sky (dc Talk)
6. The Love That You've Been Looking For (98
Degrees)
7. Shining Star (Yolanda Adams)
8. Love Can Change Your Mind (LoneStar)
9. Fly To You (Avalon)
10.
When You Walked Into My Life (Jaci Velasquez)
12. Pie Jesu (Sarah Brightman)
LeAnn
Rimes Sets Record at Mainstream Adult Contemporary Radio With "I Need
You"
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/000323/ca_capitol_1.html
I Need
You (LeAnn Rimes)
http://www.sparrowrecords.com:7070/ramgen/slg/191b.rm
Review:
Music from the Jesus Miniseries
by
David Schrader
http://www.musicforce.com/mf/content/1,1293,464,00.html
Jesus
soundtrack gets mixed review
by
Peter Chattaway, BC Christian News, April 2000
http://www.bcchristiannews.org/weekly/april00/8/news.html
Hootie
& the Blowfish Get a Little Help From Their Friends...
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/000410/ny_capitol_1.html
*
JESUS
ON THE WEB:
Jesus Christ:
His Life, Death and Resurrection
Answers
to frequently asked questions
http://www.christiananswers.net/jesus/home.html
"How
a 20th Century eye operation shows the
http://albertareport.com/24arcopy/24a26cpy/2426ar10.htm
*
Larry
King Live
Peter
Jennings, Author of `The Century for Young People,' Reflects on His
Career
as a Journalist
Aired
http://cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/9912/14/lkl.00.html
[excerpt]
Then we
went to look at the archaeology and listen to the historians on the side. And
we put together a two-hour prime-time special which I think is very exciting.
KING:
All done?
KING:
And you are calling it?
KING:
And it will be controversial?
KING:
You have had your share of that.
*
Jesus
faces mock trial at Harvard
By
Richard Higgins,
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/117/metro/Jesus_faces_mock_trial_at_Harvard+.shtml
*
RECOMMENDED
BOOKS:
1. The
Bible
2. New
Evidence That Demands A Verdict (Zondervan, 1999) by Josh McDowell
3.
Jesus: The Great Debate [book & video] (Frontier Research Publications, 1999)
by
Grant R. Jeffrey
http://www.grantjeffrey.com/article/debate.htm
4. The
Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for
Jesus (Zondervan, 1998) by Lee Strobel [book & video]
http://www.crossroads.ca/transcripts/leestrobel.htm
"An
airtight case for the Christ of the Bible" (BC Christian News, May 1999)
http://www.bcchristiannews.org/may99/airtight.html
5. In
the Fullness of Time: A Historian Looks at Christmas, Easter, and the Early
Church (Kregel Publications, 1998) by Paul L. Maier
Dr.
Paul L. Maier, Professor of Ancient History at
On
<http://www.crossroads.ca/transcripts/991216.htm>
and again April 17 - May
5.
Daily program transcripts are available at
<http://www.crossroads.ca/transcripts/transcripts.htm>
6. The
Complete Book of Bible Answers: Answering the Tough Questions
(Harvest
House, 1997) by Ron Rhodes <http://home.earthlink.net/~ronrhodes>
7. The
Jesus I Never Knew (Zondervan, 1995) by Philip Yancey
http://www.acloserlook.com/9601acl/christianliving_faith/thejesusineverknew.html
8. What
Jesus Would Say: To Rush Limbaugh, Madonna, Bill Clinton, Michael Jordan, Bart
Simpson, and You (Zondervan, 1994) by Lee Strobel
9. True
Believers Don't Ask Why (Bethany House, 1989) by John Fischer
>From
"True Believers Don't Ask Why" by John Fischer
<http://www.fischtank.com/>
who writes a monthly column for Contemporary
Christian
Music magazine <http://www.ccmcom.com/ccmmag>
The
Ambiguity of Jesus
To read
the Gospels is to find the Son of Man free with His questions and careful with
His answers. He always seemed to send people away scratching their heads--even
His disciples. He was not a man with easy answers. He was not a seminar leader.
He never gave a three-point message; His sermons didn't fall easily into an
outline.
Jesus spoke
in a way that demanded active listening. He did not go the distance to
communicate to His hearers. He went so far but no farther, requiring effort on
the part of the listener to meet Him.
His
favorite phrase when speaking a public message was "He who has an ear, let
him hear". Hear. He used it as an activity--something that some people do
with their ears, but not necessarily everyone. Apparently a person can have
ears and not hear, and in such a case, Jesus is not going to go the extra mile
to get that individual's attention. If people find something else to do with
their ears, that's their problem.
Jesus
had a favourite method of speaking to people. He put it in a story--a parable.
When His disciples asked Him why he spoke to the people in parables, He
replied: "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been
given to you but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have
an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he
has
will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables".
Thanks,
Jesus. That about clears it up. You speak in parables and you answer in
riddles. "He who has..." He
who has what? Cars, boats, swimming pools, friends, truth? What does He mean?
Now we have two questions. "Why did He speak in parables?" and
"What does His answer mean?"
Jesus
will not dance on the table for anyone. His words demand that we get up, come
over, and find out what He's saying. Often we will have to ask more questions
about His answers to our questions.
No wonder
Luke wrote that the people "hung on his words." He kept them hanging.
They either came back for more or they walked away because they didn't want to
work that hard.
To each
of His disciples Jesus simply said, "Follow me." That was an
invitation, not a requirement. An invitation respects the freedom of the
invitee to accept or decline. Indeed, the "no" answer is perhaps the
greatest expression of human dignity possible. That men and women can go to
heaven is an expression of God's love; that they can go to hell is an
expression
of the value He places on their freedom.
Even
the miracles of Jesus involved human participation. This was not just a
Messianic Magic Show; this was God interacting in human experience--giving and
taking, relating with us as Son of Man.
God
does not pull all the strings. He counts us as too important for that. To find
without seeking, to hear without listening, to say yes without the possibility
of saying no is to negate the value of my seeking, my hearing, and my participating.
I am not a puppet.
Nor
does He put all the pieces together. He leaves holes; He raises questions. He
wants me to ask.
>From
"True Believers Don't Ask Why" by John Fischer
<http://www.fischtank.com/>
who writes a monthly column for Contemporary
Christian
Music magazine <http://www.ccmcom.com/ccmmag>
*
The
star of "Frequency", Jim Caviezel, was asked in a recent Mr. Showbiz
interview:
http://www.mrshowbiz.go.com/interviews/543_1.html
http://www.mrshowbiz.go.com/interviews/543_2.html
"If
you could have a ham radio discussion with anyone in the past, famous or not,
who would it be?:
Caviezel:"It
would be Jesus, in a heartbeat."
Caviezel
should try to obtain a copy of:
10.
Jesus: An Interview Across Time (Bantam Books, 1986) by Andrew G. Hodges, M.D.
In the
book, Hodges, a psychiatrist in private practice and an Assistant Clinical
Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Alabama, conducts an imaginary
interview with the most influential person in history. From this
"first-hand" account emerges a truly human portrait of Jesus -- both
as man and God.
>From
pp. 406 - 409:
"Now
with our present understanding of the human mind what once seemed beyond belief
is fully possible. Could not the divine Christ have chosen to truly become one
of us in such a unique way that maintains the integrity of both natures [human
and divine] as well as the unity of one person. Would not the existence of two
distinct but united natures, similar to the way our own conscious and
unconscious minds interface, meet fully the stringent criterion of
Chalcedon--two natures united without mixture or division, confusion or
separation. The theologian J. O. Buswell thought so, interestingly choosing the
exact analogy of the conscious and unconscious mind as a picture of the
Incarnation...."
"Now
we can understand how Christ could have been tempted in all things as a man and
at the same time was actively Lord of the universe."
"The
implications for Christians viewing the Incarnation in this way are significant.
While some may initially feel that Christ's veiling his omniscience detracts
from him, further reflection reveals that this position would actually make
things more difficult for him: for example, not to know consciously which event
or temptation was coming next."
"Ultimately,
this makes his life and great accomplishment, the Atonement, much more dramatic
and far greater. He then would in truth "wear our shoes." Thus the
crucifixion becomes not just an event endured by a superman, but unquestionably
the greatest deed in human history. Furthermore, if Jesus limited his access to
his own omniscience and had to learn about himself (as Luke in his gospel makes
plain) and his Father just as we do, this exalts the Scriptures even further.
Our Lord studied them, too. If indeed, Jesus Christ himself submitted to the
necessity of studying the Scriptures and to their authority, how much more
should we?"
"As
I have pondered the subject of Christ's humanity and deity, I am reminded of a
friend who once said, with great feeling, that the crucifixion would have
meaning to him only if he knew that Christ thought of him when he hung on the
cross. Before I understand what I now know about the human mind, I would wonder
how it could be possible for a man to think
of
every individual in the world in one afternoon, particularly a man who was
engulfed with unspeakable pain. And yet I realized that my friend was saying
something profound, seeking in reverent anguish personal recognition from a
personal God at the moment of crucifixion."
"Now,
some years later, I understand. I believe that Christ the man in his conscious
mind was engulfed by pain and suffering, almost overcome by it, and yet united
with his human unconscious mind, Christ the all-knowing God thought of every
single person for whom he was making this sacrifice. As he screamed in pain
from the cross, He thought of you and He thought of me, and I am convinced that
He will tell us that one day face to face." -- Andrew G. Hodges
*
ADDITIONAL
NEWS & REVIEWS:
http://www.nytimes.com/library/magazine/home/20000423mag-shoptalk.html
THE WAY
WE LIVE NOW: April 23, 2000
SHOPTALK
What
Would Jesus Do in This Scene?
Participants:
Jeremy Sisto (left) and Glenn Carter
Subject:
Actors Who Play God
Moderated
by MELANIE REHAK
The
revival of "Jesus Christ Superstar" opened on Broadway on April 16,
starring Glenn Carter in the title role. And on May 14, CBS will broadcast the first
installment of "Jesus," a two-part mini-series that stars Jeremy
Sisto. By any standards, the son of God is a daunting role to step into. Does
playing Jesus pose any special dramatic challenges? And does it present any
special hazards for the typically impressionable egos of actors? Here,Carter
and Sisto discuss what it's like when your agent calls you and tells you you're
the Savior of all mankind.
CARTER:
I don't think my religious background had any bearing for me playing the part.
Jesus was a Jew, and I'm not Jewish, so I tend to play a man in extraordinary
circumstances as opposed to a religious icon.
SISTO:
That's definitely how I played him -- very much like a normal man, someone you can
relate to, someone with fears and doubts. I also don't think my religious
background had any bearing on me getting the part. I had five days to prepare,
so I really didn't have any time to really feel the weight of what I was doing,
which was probably a blessing. For me it was just like any role, except that he
goes through some extraordinary things. And he has to do all those Jesus
things. We had a priest around the whole time, and he was a sweet man, but it
was sort of like playing this guy's best friend who had died. He had such a
specific notion of who Jesus was. I realized early on I was never going to
satisfy everyone.
CARTER:
I don't think you can. I don't feel any particular weight of responsibility in
playing the part of Jesus, because nobody knows what he was like. And there's
no way I could play the real Jesus -- to start with I'm using European
language, not Aramaic. And he was unlikely to be Caucasian with long curly hair
like I've got. There is no way of conforming to other people's ideas of him.
Therefore I think it's best not to try.
SISTO:
I did read the Bible a lot more than I ever had before. And I thought about the
possibility that some higher power is sending people like Jesus to send some
message. But I tried not to decide anything in case I was wrong.
CARTER:
I don't think it's necessary to believe in God to play Jesus, just like it's
not necessary to think that murder's a good thing to play a murderer. You just
inhabit somebody else's thought process and the situations they're put in. I do
have faith, but my own faith is very separate from playing Jesus.
SISTO:
I think I was picked to play Jesus because I'm handsome.
CARTER:
Yeah. And I have long hair.
SISTO:
But really, my friends said, "You've been working on this part your whole
life." I think it's because at times I take responsibility for a lot of
people and Jesus did as well. Like, the whole world. I've always been very sort
of earthy, connected to that side of life.
CARTER:
I've no idea why I was cast. I've been cast as Jesus five times. It's not more
of an ego trip than any other part I've done.
SISTO:
Whenever anyone sneezes I'm sure to bless them -- no, I think it's just novel
more than anything else. And I wonder privately to myself whether there's some
preordained path I'm on that led me to get the part. It's possible. But I don't
think it buffers my ego.
CARTER:
I find it very difficult to escape. I walk down to the shops for a cup of tea
or whatever and people go, "Oh, it's Jesus!" because my image is all over
the place and on TV. People start pointing at you and you wonder if your fly is
open.
SISTO:
I get a lot of Jesus jokes, to the point of irritation. Like "Hey, would
you make my water into wine? I want to get drunk." And so you chuckle, a
little harder than you want to. It gets really old after a while. My dad loves
that I'm playing Jesus. My mom thinks it's because he thinks it makes him God.
But I don't have any kind of God complex.
CARTER:
I think I'd be committed if that were the case. Quite rightly so. I knew the
story of Jesus from Sunday school when I was a kid, but I think so much was
edited out of the Bible. I can't imagine that Jesus was crucified for telling
people to love thy neighbor. There was more to it than that.
SISTO:
I don't think it's an act of hubris to play Jesus, because we're just trying to
make the story more accessible to people, to take away his inherent divinity
and make him a real guy who has doubts about his mission, his journey and even
his belief. He knew he had this mission to fulfill, but it was scary.
CARTER:
I think that's true. But I'm just kind of waiting for some guy with a machete
to come out and start hacking me to death because I'm not doing a portrayal of
Jesus as he sees it. There are strange people in New York.
*
Culture
Our
Lord of the miniseries, Our Sunday Visitor <http://www.osv.com/>
April
23, 2000, p. 22
by Roy
Maynard [webbed with permission of the author]
Jesus
laughed.
He wept,
too, of course - at the grave of his friend Lazarus, and in the Garden before
His arrest. But the doctrine that Jesus was fully man as well as fully God
means that He very likely enjoyed a good joke, had playful moods, and found joy
in His Father's creation.
And
it's this side of the Savior that the CBS miniseries Jesus, set to air May 14
and 17, so successfully portrays. It's leagues above last year's laughable
Noah's Ark (which aired on NBC), and it's a truer tale that network's Mary,
Mother of Jesus, broadcast last November. Where those two movies fiddled with
history and discarded doctrine, Jesus is refreshingly
accurate
and orthodox.
"Jesus
is a man that has a mission and is the Son of God," says executive
producer Lorenzo Minoli. "We respect the Scriptures, and we are not
reinventing the Gospel."
The
striking Jeremy Sisto plays Jesus - and not as a gaunt, suffering martyr.
Instead, he tries to "capture a certain youthfulness, a certain joy that
Christ might have had in life," Sisto says. "He really enjoys life.
So when He decides to give it up and die on the cross, it's an extremely
burdensome decision."
And so
we see Jesus laughing with friends, splashing His disciples in playfulness. We
also see Jesus grieving over the death of Joseph. It must be an intimidating
task to fill in the blanks in the life of the Messiah. And here, the writers of
the miniseries earn some mixed scores.
There's
an interesting scene, in which Jesus and Mary and Joseph discuss the suffering
of the Jews - and Joseph starts to apply a little pressure on Jesus, to do
something about it. It's plausible; Joseph, and especially Mary knew something
of Jesus' divine nature, of not the particulars of His divine duty.
Another
entirely plausible scene involves Mary, sister of Lazarus and of Martha. The
writers have her falling in love with Jesus; He has to tell her that marriage
would be impossible. "I am not who you think I am," He says to her.
That's
coloring outside the lines, but not very far.
A
greater liberty is taken in a scene at Joseph's tomb. Jesus is torn with grief,
and he asks God to raise Joseph from the dead. "Give him back to me,"
Jesus cries. "Raise him! Raise him up in my arms!" If the writers had
left it at that - at Jesus asking something of God the Father, and getting no
response - then a grave error would have been committed. But they didn't; just
as He would later, in the Garden of Gesthemene, Jesus says to the Father,
"Your will be done."
It's a coolly contemporary production. Jesus's scenes with Satan (played by Jeroen Krabbe) look like they were shot for an MTV video. A sultr
