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Understanding Christianity

Two Thousand Years : The History of Christianity

Editorial Reviews
Video Description
This spectacular 10-part documentary series charts the story of Christianity from its very beginning to the second millennial anniversary of Jesus' birth, set against the panoramic sweep of 2,000 years of history. Each program, lavishly filmed at historic sights, focuses on two centuries in the spread of a religion that has had a profound role in shaping our world. We see how the birth of Jesus and the spread of His teachings led inevitably to a clash with Rome, and how the outlawed faith ultimately overcame centuries of persecution to triumph and spread throughout the world. This is the complete story: the history, the ideas, the contradictions, the disputes -- everything from wars to individual acts of extraordinary devotion.

In addition to the historical narrative, Two Thousand Years includes commentary by noted theologians, historians, and religious leaders who offer varying perspectives on the controversies and challenges that face Christianity as it enters its third millennium. This acclaimed series is narrated by the renowned British writer and broadcaster, Melvyn Bragg.
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From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians (1998)

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
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
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Unknown Jesus (1999)

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
In this 100-minute installment of A&E's Biography series, the life of Jesus is examined with the emphasis not on what has been related in the Gospels but in the historical record of his times. Serious scholars agree that such a person as Jesus walked the earth, but there are various interpretations of his life and how he must have lived it, many of which get an airing in this highly informative documentary. Some of the material covered can be highly controversial, such as the questions of whether Jesus had siblings or whether he was married (as would have been standard in the Jewish society in which he lived), but the evidence is presented in a balanced manner and viewers are left to make up their own minds about how the stories in the Scriptures fit in with the historical context of the times. In some cases, scholars explain how material in the Scriptures may not have been meant literally, but people at the time the Gospels were being written would have simply understood that some content was meant to be allegorical. In addition to the intelligent handling of the material, Unknown Jesus also deserves credit for good production, with the cinematography and use of numerous works of art making it a pleasure to watch. --Robert J. McNamara
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Christianity: The First Thousand Years - Set (1998)

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