CNN announces Chistianity special…
CNN announced this morning that it will air the two hour “CNN Presents: After Jesus-The Earliest Christians Explores Surprising History of World’s Largest Faith” Wednesday, December 20th at 10pm ET…
As two billion Christians prepare to celebrate the Christmas season, CNN will debut a sweeping documentary on the tumultuous early years of Christianity – from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ to the conversion of Constantine, the Roman emperor who first legalized Christianity in 313 A.D. CNN examines how the earliest Christians spread their message, despite infighting over the faith and violent persecution by Rome.
The two-hour special, CNN Presents: After Jesus – The First Christians, premieres on Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. The documentary replays on Saturday, Dec. 23, and Sunday, Dec. 24, at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. All times Eastern.
Immediately following Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, the first Christians were challenged to define their faith. Two of Jesus’ disciples – Peter, who preached that the followers of Jesus had to be Jewish, and Paul who argued that this new faith must be available to all – would emerge as Christianity’s first and most influential leaders. Their eventual consensus, that Christianity would be available to all through conversion, and their missionary zeal throughout the Roman Empire, helped the new faith to spread rapidly. But Christianity’s growing power was also a threat to the empire, so the Romans killed Peter and Paul and other early leaders. Christians were so brutally persecuted that Christianity’s survival was repeatedly in danger. That Christianity eventually became the world’s largest religion is perhaps the faith’s second biggest miracle.
“CNN was able to leverage its extensive resources to tell the story behind the greatest story ever told,” said Mark Nelson, vice president and senior executive producer for CNN Productions. “The fundamental themes of challenge and resolution, power and struggle that we explore continue to be relevant in modern times.”CNN examined archaeological evidence and spoke with the most renowned authorities on the ancient church to answer “the” question at the heart of the story: How did Jesus, a wandering rabbi from the hinterland, and his illiterate followers, triumph over Roman persecution and establish a worldwide faith?
In telling this remarkable tale, viewers may be surprised to learn that followers of some early branches of Christianity believed in more than one god; that there were many more Gospels than those included in the New Testament; and that Christmas was originally a springtime celebration. There was also a group of Christians – the Gnostics – who believed that man’s existence on Earth was a mistake and that salvation required a mystical experience of self-discovery and self-realization. They wrote their own Gospels, and their power struggle with the orthodox Christians was a threat to the new faith.
After Jesus also examines the Biblical history of Israel, the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem and the events during the Council of Nicaea that have come to define modern Christian orthodoxy.
“It’s sometimes suggested that a group of fishermen from the Galilee would be incapable of establishing a worldwide religion,” said Professor Amy-Jill Levine of Vanderbilt University. “But that’s simply our own modern scepticism. … The human spirit is remarkable if people simply put their mind to accomplishing what they feel God calls them to do.”
The executive producer/director for After Jesus is Jody Gottlieb. David Gibson and Michael McKinley are writers and co-producers of the documentary.
Since CNN’s first love is Islam, you can bet that this “special” will focus on the infighting, rejection of the heretical gnostic gospels, doubts about the literal Bible etc. Anything to marginalize Christianity and elevate Islam. That’s just CNN.
Comment by spiffo — November 30, 2006 @ 1:12 pm
spiffo, I hope not. I’ll be watching, but if they try anything as you suggest, I’ll bail out immediately!
Comment by Missy — November 30, 2006 @ 1:31 pm
Kudos to CNN for doing this special and doing it on a weekday. The bin Laden special was surprisingly fair and balanced. Then came the “broken government” series right before the election - CNN’s October surprise. I see this special is right before Christmas, but even if it’s as bad as spiffo predicts, it can’t ruin my Xmas. Being two hours, and announced three weeks ahead of time, I predict it will be very well done and informative. If not, I can turn it off.
Comment by erljr — November 30, 2006 @ 1:34 pm
Wow. I guess Islam is the latest ‘dirty pinko hippie fag’ of the Right. Who knew?
Comment by Arthur — November 30, 2006 @ 1:36 pm
Hanging around the dorm today Arthur? Shouldn’t you be getting to class? LOL.
Comment by spiffo — November 30, 2006 @ 1:47 pm
spiffo, your outlandish comment that CNN’s first love is Islam must be a result that you are upset with the airing of that sniper video.If you had watched CNN that evening you would be aware that it was all put into context by CNN. If your reason for saying CNN’s first love is Islam based on that airing of the video you’re really distorting the facts.
Comment by Anon — November 30, 2006 @ 2:27 pm
You couldn’t be further from the truth. My comment has nothing to do with the sniper video airing, as repugnant and irresponsible as that was. CNN just has a history of pro-Islam leanings.
Comment by spiffo — November 30, 2006 @ 2:50 pm
By the way, I’m still eagerly awaiting CNN’s airing of the Danish cartoons. Anyone know when that will happen?
Comment by spiffo — November 30, 2006 @ 2:52 pm
#8 Probably about the same time FNC explains why they YANKED Carl Cameron’s four-part series on the Israeli Spy Ring which is available below for your viewing pleasure.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article7545.htm
Comment by Terance — November 30, 2006 @ 3:01 pm
Did someone give Ted Turner his crayons again?
Comment by mike — November 30, 2006 @ 3:22 pm
Spud - Why does it suddenly sound like a junior high school in here?
Comment by Arthur — November 30, 2006 @ 3:36 pm
You’re just noticing this now?
Some threads cause people to put their brains in park and relive their childhood circa Nursery School it seems…
Comment by Spud — November 30, 2006 @ 3:51 pm
Well I’m glad spiffo that you comment had nothing to do with that video but could you please give me examples where CNN has displayed pro islam leanings. I just don’t get that impression of CNN. Maybe I’m missing something? Also you can’t honestly believe that CNN or any other reputable news channel should show those Danish cartoons knowing what the repercussions could/would be?
Comment by Anon — November 30, 2006 @ 3:56 pm
Hey Arthur: Where were you on 9/11? If the terrorist attacks had been carried out by Catholic priests in full robes, we’d be railing against Catholics. By the way, did you watch Glenn Beck’s special?
Comment by Olivia — November 30, 2006 @ 3:58 pm
Anon - the rest of us saw the insignificant cartoons on FNC. I guess you don’t shop there.
and Olivia - I saw the Glenn Beck special. I recommend it.
Comment by erljr — November 30, 2006 @ 5:33 pm
Just FYI, Olivia, the vast majority of the 9/11 attackers - 15 out of 19 - were Saudis. Why aren’t we invading and occupying Saudi Arabia?
Comment by Arthur — November 30, 2006 @ 7:43 pm
Arthur: ALL of the hijackers were radical Muslims - that’s my point. We aren’t in Iraq because that’s where the hijackers came from… we’re there because that country/former regime supported terrorism.
Comment by Olivia — November 30, 2006 @ 10:29 pm
“we’re there because that country/former regime supported terrorism.”
Gee, and I thought it was because Saddam had WMDs? Or was it nukes? Smoking gun = mushroom cloud? ring any bells? Beuller?
If there’s one thing for sure, Al Qaeda was not a player in Iraq pre-occupation - Saddam and bin Laden loathed one another.
The presence now of Al Qaeda in Iraq is an accomplishment to lay directly to the credit of George W. Bush. Another burnishment to his illustrious resume.
Comment by Arthur — December 1, 2006 @ 3:03 am
Arthur, 9/11 happened BEFORE we went into Iraq. I realize the lines have been blurred, but don’t doubt al Qaeda/radical Muslims would do it again and again if they got the chance.
Comment by Olivia — December 1, 2006 @ 1:15 pm
Just FYI, Olivia, the vast majority of the 9/11 attackers - 15 out of 19 - were Saudis. Why aren’t we invading and occupying Saudi Arabia?
The reason: Saudi Arabia has no WMD, has never threatened the U.S., they let the IAEA inspect anything the world is suspicious of, and our intelligence has never found any suspicious activities going on there.
Comment by erljr — December 1, 2006 @ 5:51 pm
Beck…that Mormon…dissed the towel heads. Now they are sucking up to the fanatic right. Bring Turner, the everybody hater, back. At least he was phony in a honest, folksy kinda way. There’s nothing more refreshing than a billionare idiot that just won’t stop talking. No…..I’m not a billionare…hehe.
Comment by Roger — December 3, 2006 @ 12:00 pm
I would like to know why the second showing of After Jesus was pre-empted by Anderson Cooper. I missed the showing at 7 PM EST but was planning to tape the 10 PM EST showing. Did something on the show upset somebody?
Comment by David — December 20, 2006 @ 11:54 pm