‘The Bible’ TV production began screening in the UK last Saturday evening (30th Nov) and, although I have not yet seen anything more than a trailer, I thought that it was worth saying something about it! The reviews that I have read have been generally positive, although there has also been some strong criticism from one or two quarters.
The biggest concern for a Christian believer ought to be whether such a production faithfully communicates the content of the biblical text. Artistic license will inevitably come into play and that is fine (and good) as long as it doesn’t distort the original account. However, this is not merely a case of avoiding gross, factual error but also of seeking to faithfully communicate the original meaning. Given that the Bible is ultimately one story, does the presentation of each part contribute to a correct understanding of the whole?
The other main issue for some is whether a dramatic retelling of the life of Jesus is a violation of the second commandment (Exo. 20:4-6). I don’t personally believe it is. For a start, this command is forbidding the creation of images to be used in worship. And secondly, Jesus was not only divine but also human. Are we to suggest that Jesus’ relatives ought not to have made sketches of him or indeed taken photos (were he born at a different time) without violating the second commandment!? However, there IS always the danger that we might get more of our mental picture of Jesus from a Hollywood recreation than from the pages of Scripture. This would not be desirable.
I hear that the production quality is high, which must be a good thing. After all, we are called to use our creativity and artistic gifts to glorify God as much as any other (see e.g. Exo. 31:1-5 and Jerram Barrs’ excellent book, ‘Echoes of Eden’).
As to a thoughtful review of this particular series, here is a brief and (apparently) balanced review from a trusted source…