Some weeks ago an Australian friend of mine sent me a copy of The Christ Files, a DVD set based on the book of the same name by Dr John Dickson.
I must admit to having left it to one side (not least because of the wedding), but in an idle moment yesterday stuck it in my computer DVD player.
Rarely have I been so pleasantly surprised. The Christ Files is not a mere imitation of 'religion debunking' TV specials (although it clearly sets out to put something up against them). It is a superb two disc resource.
The first disc contains the four main 'programmes': 'Gnostics and Romans', 'Jews and Christians', 'Lost Sources and Oral Traditions', 'Archaelogists and Artefacts'. The production values are superb, and these alone would give any serious inquirer (or even a brash opponent) something to think about. The great highlight of these programmes are the interviews with leading scholars:
Richard Bauckham, Marcus Bockmuehl, James Charlesworth, James Dunn, Sean Freyne, Martin Hengel, Alanna Nobbs, Adolfo Roitman, Peter Stuhlmacher, Christopher Tuckett and Tom Wright. These I found fascinating.
But then the second disc contains what people like myself really want in addition to the main programmes which is the extended interviews with these scholars.
'Evidentialist' evangelism seems to have gone out of favour in recent years - yet the world seems to have regained its interest in evidentialism, not least through people like Richard Dawkins dismissing religion in favour of 'the facts'. This DVD is a great resource to use with people who want factual reasons to believe.
You can view the promotional material, including selected clips of the interviews here.
This is Tom Wright being interviewed.
The DVD is not yet available directly in the UK as far as I am aware, but The Good Book Company are planning to stock it soon.
If I could have one to give to every house in the parish, I'd do it.
John Richardson
27 August 2008
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