The Christ Files
March 10th, 2008 by 
Tony
“The Christ Files,” a four-part documentary on the Historical Jesus to air in the Australia beginning March 21, begins with an episode titled “Gnostics and Romans.” A 2-disc DVD will be released on the same day. The documentary is based on the book by the same name by Dr. John Dickson, Director of the Centre for Public Christianity and Honorary Associate of the Department of Ancient History, Macquarie University, Australia. As he criss-crosses the globe, Dickson interviews such noted scholars as Tom Wright, Richard Bauckham, and James Charlesworth. Visit the official site HERE, and see a short clip on the Gospel of Philip.
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March 19th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
If they can pull a rugby metaphor - I can surely pull a hockey one
It’s a bit of an interesting approach to a documentary, but I enjoy how Dr. Dickson brings an excited energy to the narration (much better than some monotone documentaries we have seen on the subject in the past).
Cheers,
Joshua
March 20th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Not shown in Melbourne and Ch7’s Vic office says no plans to broadcast later!
March 21st, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Shortly after midnight I was channel surfing (as one does), and there was the program … Anglican conservatism wearing the mask of historical neutrality, with the usual over reliance on the letters of Paul (who never met Christ in real life).
March 25th, 2008 at 11:31 am
John Noyce, what do you mean by “real life”? In Acts of the Apostles, Paul has a vision of Christ (cf. 9:1-19; 22:3-21; 26:9-230) and in 1 Corinthians he explicitly states that Jesus appeared to him, that he saw Jesus (cf. 1 Cor 9:1; 15:8). In order provide a “natural” explanation, one could argue that Paul could have simply had a hallucination or a “spiritual vision.” In this case, surely Paul did not meet Jesus in “real life.” One could say that it was Paul’s faith that led to his hallucination or “spiritual vision.” However, a Christian believer could argue that it was Paul’s vision of Jesus that led to his faith in Jesus, and that his vision was truly a supernatural vision (i.e., a vision coming directly from the power of God). Surely, academia cannot prove or disprove a miracle, if that is indeed what occurred. No doubt Paul, unlike the Apostles, did not see Jesus before his death, but to say Paul never met Jesus in “real life” is open to debate, a debate beyond the confines of this forum of academia.