1) Carefully wrap up scholarly integrity and chuck out window
2) Practice facial expressions: Aim for the look of an earnest enquirer desperately trying to get to the "real" Jesus
3) Use the word "bombshell" a lot
4) For main points, interview fringe scholars (including at least one wild-eyed Nag Hammadi expert)
5) For fringe points, interview mainstream scholars
6) Refer to medieval legends as "evidence"
7) Hold out hand for $$$ from Channel Four
Suggested ideas for future Easter Specials:
- "The Hidden Years: Jesus in Shropshire"
- "Mary Magdalene: Husband of Thomas?"
- "Faith or Fiction? In Search of Ratings"
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Other further ideas:
The Gospel of Thomas - really much better than those others.
Makeitup - new theological process.
How Christians have screwed up western civilisation for like ever and ever.
Weren't pagans just misunderstood.
Etc etc blah blah
Hmm your ideas intrigue me: Could I interest you in helping me film a Christmas Special?
"Bethlehoax: Startling new evidence that there WAS no town of Bethlehem until 1972"
We could film the whole thing in a sandpit near Swindon on a mobile phone to give it that authenticity. Then interview a couple of Film Studies PHd students from the local poly on the 'feelings' about whether Bethlehem ever existed. Finally switch to some starved baby in Africa and blame that on the Victorian missionary movement. Fantastic, when can I start?
This year in Sydney one of the commercial stations screened a Good Friday special on the historicity of Jesus that was actually excellent (by Christian historian Dr John Dickson). On the same day, the SMH published an article by Dickson that was also very good.
It was a refreshing break from the usual "let's-find-the-wackiest-attack-on-Christianity-and-publish-it-on-the-holist-weekend-of-the-year". That said, perhaps Good Friday is the most appropriate day of the year for faith to be attacked by the powers.
Yeah I'm impressed with John Dickson's article - perhaps the best thing is that it doesn't come across as defensive... it invites people into the discussion, rather than encouraging people to "take sides"...
No such luck here in the UK! Interestingly, I've found that Good Friday in Nottingham is treated a bit differently to Good Friday in Perth: In Perth, it's the most silent day of the year - every shop is closed (more so than Christmas), and fish n chip shops require bookings hours ahead, as people eat fish instead of meat. I don't think this is genuinely religious sentiment, incidentally...
But in Nottingham, I couldn't find ANY shops that were shut, and hardly anyone was getting fish n chips. This is surprising to me, as I think of Australia as a more secular place than the UK - I don't really have any theories on it though - it's just interesting
I am from Shropshire and I am pretty sure Jesus did come here and have found some gnostic documents that prove he was that no scholar takes seriously. Can I have a documentary now?
Viz, fish and chips, the Humber Road Chip Chop, not far from where you and I live in the town of bees was absolutely rammed on Good Friday. I was pleasantly surprised.
Ahhhh God bless those gnostics...
I can't believe you found the ideas to the script of my latest doco. And I can't believe Jason has prostituted himself over at this grubby little blog, when he should be faithfully worshiping at mine.
Post a Comment