[soc.religion.christian] Testament

zcnj01@uunet.uu.net (Cecil N. Jones) (08/12/89)

   An earlier poster wrote:

> i watched a show on the discovery channel last night called 'testament'.
> i suspect it's a series, but this is the first one i ever saw
> or even heard about. 

  I too saw one episode of this series.  It is based on a new book
  entitled "TESTAMENT" by John Romer (Holt).  A brief review from
  the newspaper:

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  The Bible has had more influence upon Western civilization than any
  other book. So splendid are its phrases that many have taken them
  to be the unmediated word of God.
  
  Since its texts were gathered, the Book has been venerated and en-
  shrined, execrated and burned. But whether we are believers or not,
  the Bible still remains the linchpin of modern Western culture.

  "Testament" describes the making of the Bible, the creation of both
  the Old and New Testaments, and charts the book's survival through
  the long centuries of its life.

  John Romer uses his considerable experience of the worlds of art,
  history and archaeology to advantage as he unravels the story of
  the making and the use and misuse of the world's most influential
  volume.

  From the silty plains of Mesopotamia, on whose floods many Noahs set
  sail, to the quiet Valley of the Nile, whose somber temples were   
  filled with a sense of the holy, Romer traces the seeds of Judaism
  and Christianity.

  The story of "Testament" is enormous and fascinating, stretching as
  it does from the ancient Israelites to the archaeologists who sought
  them. Its characters include the Rabbis who fought and died for their
  sacred texts; Jesus of Nazareth, whose preachings inspired St. Paul
  and whose life and death became a cornerstone of the Church; Constan-
  tine, who formalized the faith and made the Holy Land special; Irenaeus,
  who classified the Holy Scriptures; fiery St. Jerome, who translated
  them; and later, Martin Luther and King James.

  These are just a few of the people who held the thread of the Bible's
  story in their hands.  "Testament" tells all of their stories - and
  ours.
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  Cecil N. Jones    Amoco Production Co.  Tulsa, OK
  cjones@trc.amoco.com  _or_  uunet!apctrc!cjones
  The opinions expressed are solely my own.

culwf@gatech.edu (05/11/91)

From what I've seen here so far it looks like most of you need to be
watching TESTAMENT. It is telling historical fact about how and why the
Bible was and the Christian Religion were created. I suspect, however,
that most of you will pass it off as hogwash since it simply RIPS apart
most of the posts here.
 
You'll find it on your local PBS affiliate.

tblake@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Thomas Blake) (05/17/91)

In article <May.10.23.48.00.1991.27870@athos.rutgers.edu> dcatla!culwf@gatech.edu writes:
>From what I've seen here so far it looks like most of you need to be
>watching TESTAMENT. It is telling historical fact about how and why the
>Bible was and the Christian Religion were created. I suspect, however,
>that most of you will pass it off as hogwash since it simply RIPS apart
>most of the posts here.

I have seen segments of "Testament" previously.  I don't think my local
PBS affiliate is running it currently.  I really don't think you given
it a fair representation.  I found it a fascinating exploration of the
creation of the Old Testament.

I don't pass it off as hogwash, and my faith is not shaken by it.  I've
recommended it to a number of Christian friends.  It was extremely
popular in my area, and has been rerun on our local PBS station at least
twice.  I just wish they'd show it at a more convenient time!

It is of course important to point out that while some of the show deals
with "historic fact" much of it deals with archeoligical evidence, which
suggests theories.  It also deals with traditions, and neither theories
nor traditions are necessarily facts.  Nor for that matter is history.

>You'll find it on your local PBS affiliate.

					Tom Blake
					SUNY-Binghamton

cctr114@csc.canterbury.ac.nz (05/22/91)

In article <May.17.02.28.44.1991.27643@athos.rutgers.edu>, tblake@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Thomas Blake) writes:
> 
> I don't pass it off as hogwash, and my faith is not shaken by it.  I've
> recommended it to a number of Christian friends.  It was extremely
> popular in my area, and has been rerun on our local PBS station at least
> twice.  I just wish they'd show it at a more convenient time!
>                                              ^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^

Its available as a book if you wish to read it.

> 
> 					Tom Blake
> 					SUNY-Binghamton
-- 
Bill Rea
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