My World of Religion, Politics, Entertainment and Social Issues

Dear Blog Visitors: I am often asked what movies I would recommend during the Easter season that give us a fairly accurate account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Making a motion picture about Jesus has always proven to be a daunting task when one considers that we actually know very little about what occurred during most of his life. In Mark, the first Gospel, the focus is on the public ministry of J ... esus, which lasted around three years, followed by his death and resurrection. The next two Gospels (Matthew and Luke) added a birth narrative, and John (fourth Gospel) expanded on the public ministry of Jesus, in addition to giving us theological explanations as to the meaning of events in the life of Jesus. Concerning the movies that have been made over the years, I liked some better than others. I would highly recommend KING OF KINGS, JESUS OF NAZARETH (TV miniseries), and SON OF GOD (edited from TV series, THE BIBLE). I would not recommend THE PASSION OF TH...

Dear Blog Visitors: As Passover and Easter intersect this week, we are also reminded of the sad reality that anti-Semitism still exists to some degree in America and throughout the world. Having two theological graduate degrees, I pride myself on the fact that I studied Jewish and Christian texts thoroughly. Sadly, the incorrect interpretation of the four Gospels has often fueled anti-Semitism throughout the centur ... ies. The Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John were never intended to be interpreted as historical documents. Each Gospel was written for a particular audience, with conversion as a primary motive. Mark was written primarily for Jews living in Rome. Matthew was primarily written for Jews living in the area of Palestine. Luke was written in an attempt to reach beyond the borders of religious and pagan communities. John can best be described as a theological reflection on events reported in the prior three Gospels. I raise the issue of audience intent for the...