Mysteries of the Apostles)

Starring:Avery Brooks
Director: Shaun Trevisick
Studio: BBC Warner
Product Type: DVD

Description

Ancient Evidence is a fascinating series of programs, using dramatic re-enactments and CGI graphics, to piece together compelling evidence of the great figures and events from biblical times. Did Joseph actually have a coat of many colors? Was Mary Magdalene really a prostitute? This series answers these questions and many more.

Customer Reviews:

Impressive.......2007-01-05

This is a wonderful addition to anyones video library. They approach the subjects in a non-religious, scientific manner. I like that. It's "OK, here's what the Bible says, here's what we know, here's what we can prove. Now go make up your mind." They don't set out to debunk the 'religiousity' of any of it, just to present the facts based on what we know. Plus, the visuals of the area are unbelievable. This is perfect for anyone with an interest in Christianity.

Well-Produced, but flawed in some aspects.......2006-02-21

Overall, this series is well produced and provides some interesting things to think about. The actors and costumes used in the reenactments seem to reflect the time period of Jesus Christ accurately. It was refreshing to finally see Jesus and the Apostles pictured as the tan to dark skinned middle eastern Jews they are, rather than as white Greco-Roman persons that they are traditionally pictured as.

The series purports to discover evidence and compare parts of the Bible with modern science. It is presented from a mostly secular liberal point of view (I am sure conservative Christians will not like it). My impression is that it is trying to discuss new theories floating around in the academic world. I found the series interesting, but flawed in some respects.

I noticed that there are some factual inaccuracies in parts of the series, particularly in the DVD that deals with the Apostles. In the reenactments, the series shows Paul falling down a hill when Jesus appears to him on the road to Damascus. None of the Biblical texts (and to my knowledge the Christian Apocryphal texts) have a version like this.

In some parts of the DVD, the series is blatantly dishonest and tends to ignore the Biblical account of what they are supposed to be investigating. One episode explores the theory that Paul's vision of Jesus may have been epilepsy. But the series never mentions that according to the book of Acts, the people traveling with Paul saw the light as well (Acts 22). The series is selective in what Biblical texts that it uses and when.

Some artistic liberty is also taken in depicting some of the reenactments. One episode shows Paul breaking a statue of the goddess Diana (Diana is mentioned in Acts 19). This incident doesn't occur in the Bible or any of the Apocryphal texts.

Oddly enough, the series claims they have probably found the Hebrew Patriarch Joseph's tomb and house in Egypt. You might want to buy the series for that purpose (or just the one DVD, "Ancient Evidence - Mysteries of the Old Testament").

The topics discussed are way too involved to fully handle in 45 minute episodes. There is no substitute for studying history on your own. If you decide to buy this series, you should also look for an opposing viewpoint. Since one episode also references Apocryphal works. I would also read "The Acts of Peter" and "The Gospel According to Mary Magdalene" (even if you do not accept them as valid) to better understand what the episode is trying to argue. If you are a Christian, I would also read the Gospels and book of Acts before watching so you can catch the obvious errors in some of the episodes.

FICTIONAL, BIASED, NOT GOOD..........2005-12-13

Yuck! It would be so nice to see a balanced perspective. It's not apparent in any of the series out there on cable tv that they even try to get other opinions. This one especially. I trust and believe the Bible is accurate. This series does not. Buy "The Stones Cry Out" DVD from World of the Bible Ministries and "The Second Great Battle of Jericho" by The Associates for Biblical Research. Then you will get another perspective.

Haven't those in the media ever heard of The Near East Archaeological Society, The Associates for Biblical Research, The Institute for Biblical Archaeology, World of the Bible Ministries? Here is a list people that unfortunately many in the media forget about.

Dr. Bryant Wood
Dr. Edwin Yamauchi (infrequent guest)
Dr. Gary Byers
Dr. Bob Smith (from Florida)
Dr. Charles Aling
Dr. Clyde Billington
Dr. Michael Wise
Dr. William Shea
Mr. Gordon Franz
Dr Randall Price etc;

Good, not fictional.......2004-10-04

I saw those documentary's on disc channel and i recommend them to people who are not extremist
people who talk negative about this are just extremist,
It is thruth that about some archaelogical evidence you can argu in different directions but this is a very plausible and more realistic story, because the bible is totally contradiction
NO bible is a absolute thruth
The statements where for sure not fictional.

Good, But Not Complete.......2004-05-22

I watched this series every week on the Discovery Channel and enjoyed it very much, although I disagree with some of its findings. If a thought-provoking (though at times controversial) set of documentaries on the Bible is your cup of tea, then this box is for you.

I would give this set 5 stars, if it weren't for the fact that there was space on these discs for two more programs in the series. Discs 1 and 3 contain only three episodes, while disc 2 has four. The program "Who Was Moses?" would have fit rather nicely on the first DVD about the Old Testament. And if the episode on the second disc called "The Real Disciples" had been placed on the third disc, titled "Mysteries of the Apostles", there would have been room on disc 2 for perhaps the best documentary of the entire series, "Mary, the Mother of Jesus". I think the Discovery Channel and the BBC dropped the ball a bit on this set but, overall, it is still worth the purchase.

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