Christianity-The First Two Thousand Years

Starring:Christianity-First Thousand Ye
Studio: A&E Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Product Description
From the Crucifixion to the Crusades, the Reformation to the sweeping changes of Vatican II, Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years takes a comprehensive look at the events and people who have influenced and have been a part of the epic journey that is the revolution of the faith.

Drawing on ancient texts, the Scriptures, commentary from renowned scholars, and visits to the multitude of sites where history was made, Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years is the most complete account of the history of one of the world's most important religions. It chronicles not just the events and personalities that left indelible marks on the landscape of faith, but also the forces behind them.

System Requirements:
Approx. 400 Min. total + supplements.
Copyright 2003 A&E Home Video.

Format: DVD MOVIE
Amazon.com
"This story is enormously unlikely." --Elaine Pagels, Professor of Religion, Princeton University

Pagels is right on the mark: what began two millennia ago as a Jewish sect has grown into the most widespread religion in history, despite unbridled oppression in its early years and countless denominational splits ever since. The last few years have seen a resurgence of interest in church history, and A&E's documentary Christianity: The First Thousand Years is a splendid example of solid scholarly research meshed with entertaining production values that speaks to this interest. The result is a resource with equal appeal for the historian and the theologian alike.

The issues that confronted the early church seem now quite strange since there are 2,000 years of tradition behind them today:

Should gentile converts to the Jesus movement have to adhere to the laws of kashrut?
What authority did Paul have as an apostle though he never personally knew Jesus?
What is Jesus' relationship to God?
How can a tripartite Christian theology be resolved with Judaism's strong tradition of monotheism?
Which texts should form the Christian scripture?
What relationship do the apostolic bishops at Jerusalem, Damascus, Rome, Constantinople, and elsewhere have to each other--and how should the church be structured?
What should be the central statement of faith of Christians?

Most of these issues were solved at the Council of Nicaea and at other early church councils--though authority of the papacy at Rome is a persistent divider both between the Eastern and Western churches and between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. Christianity: The First Thousand Years provides background and the original perspectives that led to the East-West split--a split whose basis we hardly question today.

The rapid spread of the church from the controversial conversion of Constantine to the conquests of Otto is tied closely to the history of the Roman Empire itself. Without the empire as its catapult, it is unlikely that Christianity would have spread even to remote Iceland and Finland by the year 1000. The early church modeled itself structurally on imperial institutions, and it integrated itself into the fabric of imperial life. Indeed, the central role of Christianity in Byzantine life is one of numerous often-overlooked but fascinating historical perspectives that A&E manages to cover here.

Product Description

From the Crucifixion to the Crusades, the Reformation to the sweeping changes of Vatican II, Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years takes a comprehensive look at the events and people who have influenced and have been a part of the epic journey that is the revolution of the faith.

Drawing on ancient texts, the Scriptures, commentary from renowned scholars, and visits to the multitude of sites where history was made, Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years is the most complete account of the history of one of the world's most important religions. It chronicles not just the events and personalities that left indelible marks on the landscape of faith, but also the forces behind them.

System Requirements:
Approx. 400 Min. total + supplements.
Copyright 2003 A&E Home Video.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

"This story is enormously unlikely." --Elaine Pagels, Professor of Religion, Princeton University

Pagels is right on the mark: what began two millennia ago as a Jewish sect has grown into the most widespread religion in history, despite unbridled oppression in its early years and countless denominational splits ever since. The last few years have seen a resurgence of interest in church history, and A&E's documentary Christianity: The First Thousand Years is a splendid example of solid scholarly research meshed with entertaining production values that speaks to this interest. The result is a resource with equal appeal for the historian and the theologian alike.

The issues that confronted the early church seem now quite strange since there are 2,000 years of tradition behind them today:

Should gentile converts to the Jesus movement have to adhere to the laws of kashrut?
What authority did Paul have as an apostle though he never personally knew Jesus?
What is Jesus' relationship to God?
How can a tripartite Christian theology be resolved with Judaism's strong tradition of monotheism?
Which texts should form the Christian scripture?
What relationship do the apostolic bishops at Jerusalem, Damascus, Rome, Constantinople, and elsewhere have to each other--and how should the church be structured?
What should be the central statement of faith of Christians?

Most of these issues were solved at the Council of Nicaea and at other early church councils--though authority of the papacy at Rome is a persistent divider both between the Eastern and Western churches and between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. Christianity: The First Thousand Years provides background and the original perspectives that led to the East-West split--a split whose basis we hardly question today.

The four-part set features Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, whose unusual but pleasant voices will be well known to viewers of A&E's TV series Mysteries of the Bible. Like the TV series, Christianity: The First Thousand Years is marked by thorough scholarship, including interviews with many highly regarded scholars such as Pagels. Snippets of these interviews are interspersed with photography from the Holy Land and some reenactments, leading to an informative and revealing exploration of the early church. --Erik J. Macki

Customer Reviews:

OK for new students of Christianity and those who want a fast refresher/overview.......2007-06-12

I don't think that the producers did their homework as well as they should have. The early Church could have been covered more thoroughly and accurately. For example, although the producers interviewed a Greek Orthodox priest, the DVD does not really discuss the Schism of 1054 between the Orthodox and Catholics. Such a split is a very important one and thus should be explained with more reasons than only the political problems of the Roman Empire. I do give credit to the producers for attempting to summarize 2000 years of Christian history, though. After all, squeezing so much history on to two DVDs must be quite the challenge that facts are bound to be omitted. This DVD would be an OK introduction to people who know little about Christianity.

really good, not great.......2007-05-13

I learned a great deal of history through the 400 minutes of video in this series, and I thought I already knew a lot! I liked it overall and I think it's something that everyone should watch. My only complaints were that there are a couple of times that they weren't completely accurate, or mispresented something, such as making it seem like the canonization of the books of the Holy Bible were done hastily at the demand of an Emperor.

I also wish that there were more acted out scenes. Through most of the video you're looking at artwork or scenery, and it's not always pictures of what they're talking about, which was weird.

Still... my rating is a 4 because I think it was really good, just could've been better.

Interesting.......2007-01-21

It was nice to watch an objective look at the first 2 millenia of Christianity. There are no punches pulled here. There is no glorification of the religion; it is an honest look at the largest religion in the world, from its beginning to current day. It does not make Christianity look bad, nor does it make it look good. If you are looking for an unbiased look at the history of the church, buy this.

wonder program poor production.......2007-01-06

sadly this is wonderful program, but A & E dvd do not work all dvds and there is defects with in the dvd. I have decirded to live with them, but for this price I paid it was not right. A & E/history channel knew that not all dvd players can use their dvds and they do not put waren so people know that is possble not going to work. This is wonderful program and i love it, but dvd was not good. They clear do not care to treat all custmers rightly.

Not accurate.......2006-12-19

I am a professor and a student of theology and the history of Christianity. This is one of the worst movies on the subject out there. Interesting that the writers attempt to discuss the history of the first 1500 years of the church without talking to a single Catholic...not one. Note to you...there was no Christian Church other than the Christian Church for the first 1000 years.

Over and above that, they go on to talk about how James...not Peter...was the head of the church after Jesus left. Well, that is wrong too, and they offer no proof for it at all.

All and all, one of the worst movies on the subject ever.

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