Magyar Egyház, 1984 (63. évfolyam, 1-5. szám)
1984-11-01 / 5. szám
6. oldal MAGYAR EGYHÁZ A.D. - ANNO DOMINI is a 12 hour miniseries scheduled to air on NBC-TV February 10-14, 1985. It tells the story of the momentous events that split time into “B.C.” and “A.D.” (before and after). In the years between 30 and 68 a small band of disciples gave birth to a movement destined to carry the name of Jesus Christ throughout the world and to change the course of history. “A.D.” is a dramatic retelling of the biblical and historical events surrounding the birth of the Church as experienced in the lives of the Apostles, Emperors and fictional characters. It would be hard to overstate the size and scope of “A.D.”. Several years in the planning and writing, nearly a year of filming in Tunesia on massive sets of Herod’s temple, the Roman Forum, and other first century buildings built by a small army of architects and builders. THE MASTERMIND The mastermind behind the project is Italian producer Vincenzo Labella, famous for such epic pictures as “Moses the Lawgiver.” For NBC he produced “Marco Polo,” and “Jesus of Nazareth,” each 10 hours long. Labella began his career as a professor of history in Rome, which may account for his fascination with the historical dramas which have become his hallmark. Proctor and Gamble will present the series on NBC. CARE OF DETAIL In “A.D.” extrordinary care has been taken with the details. Costumes, household implements, and sculpture were copied meticulously from museum pieces. Reproductions of first century buildings in Jerusalem and Rome were built on a ninth century Ribat, or fortress, in Monastir, Tunesia. BIBLICAL ACCURACY A stickler for details on all aspects of the film. Labella paid equal attention to the historical and Biblical accuracy of the script, which he wrote with novelist Anthony Burgess. An undertaking which deals with three different cultures in the first century, sensitive subjects like the response of Judaism to the new Christian faith, and the conflicts within the early church itself, must be true to the facts as far as they can be known. Dr. Richard Gilbert, Religious consultant to NBC, advised on the biblical and historical aspects of the film, and in turn enlisted the guidance of four biblical scholars to double check the script. They were: Dr. Bruce Metzger, Professor of New Testament Language and Literature at Princeton Theological Seminary; Dr. John Meier, Professor of Sacred Scripture, Saint Joseph’s Seminary, New York; Dr. Thomas Robinson, Professor of New Testament, Union Theological Seminary, New York, and Dr. Burton Visotzky, Assistant Professor in the Department of Talmud and Rabbinics, Jewish Theological Seminary, New York. AN EXCITING STORY Although carefully researched, “A.D.” does not presume to be a “documentary” history of the birth of the Christian Church. “You can be accurate and true to history, and still tell an exciting story,” says Labella. THE PRISM TECHNIQUE Writers, historians, artists and preachers may differ in their interpretatoin of this period. To reflect these perspectives, Labella and Burgess use a dramatic device which enables them to interpret the events plausibly, especially where history and tradition may be silent. Labella says the many sides of the story are told “as if reflected in the faces of a prism.” That is, the viewers will be able to experience how first century Romans, Jews and Christians viewed themselves, each other, and particularly the rise of the new faith. THE ROMAN PRISM At first the Romans took no notice of the Christians. They saw the growing conflict between church and synagogue as a family quarrel. Later it became apparent to them that “the followers of Christus” were different, and their religion was characterized as a “deadly superstition,” according to the Roman historian Tacitus. THE JEWISH PRISM Simultaneously, the Jews saw the early church through a multifaced prism, as Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, or Zealots. All are represented in “A.D.” THE CHRISTIAN PRISM “The Christian Prism” has two sides as well. There were “Judaizers” who wanted to remain faithful to their Jewish traditions while winning others to the faith of Jesus whom they accepted as Messiah. The “Hellenizers,” the Greek converts, wanted to universalize the faith, without the precondition of Jewishness, and to take it to non-Jews across the length and breadth of the empire. Looking through the faces of the prism, “A.D.” aims to avoid the oversimplification sometimes associated with biblical films, to the embarassment of scholars and ordinary Christians who know their Bible. THE STORY “A.D.” begins where “Jesus of Nazareth” ended. In the opening scenes, Roman soldiers are taking down the crosses on Golgotha. Through the eyes of the small band of disciples we see the first conversion, the first opposition, the first organization, the first persecution, the first controversy, the first martyrdom, and the first mission. Then we see: — Peter’s sermon at Pentecost — Peter healing the cripple — Philip’s work in Samaria and the conversion of the Ethiopian steward. — Steven’s conversion and martyrdom. — Peter’s missionary work in Syria leading to the conversion of the Roman Cornelius, and the conviction that the Gospel was for the Gentiles also. — Saul’s persecution of the Christians and his own conversion on the road to Damascus — The founding of the Gentile Church in Antioch — The missionary impact of Paul, together with his teachings.
