"From Resurrection to Insurrection - 'A.D.' BRINGS TO LIFE THE TURMOIL FACED BY THE DISCIPLES" - By: Rachel McMillan|: April 13,2015;
Image copyright NBC.
From "Game of Thrones" to "House of Cards" to the BBC production of "Wolf Hall" now airing on PBS, our society is fixated on shows with heavy political undercurrents, punctuated by the threat of complete social overhaul. Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, the successful team behind the popular miniseries “The Bible,” have produced a look at the early Christians and the movement that swept the world following Jesus’ ascension. There is violence; there is political intrigue; there is a fascinating realization of history, and a sense that the world will never be the same.
Capitalizing on exceptional British talent (the Sanhedrin speak with Shakespearian gravitas worthy of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) and using thrilling graphics, “A.D.: The Bible Continues” recognizes the firebrand potential of this true story that rivals “House of Cards” for political tension. “A.D.” is accessible, engaging, and likely to appeal to viewers even without a faith background. The fact that Downey and Burnett have been able to place such an overtly Christian production in such a coveted primetime spot is astounding, wonderful, and maybe, like the Bible itself, divinely inspired.
While watching the first installment on Easter Sunday, I was delighted to see that the show was the top trending topic on Twitter. (Later, we’d learn that the premiere episode was the most watched television event of its week—during March Madness, mind you!) During that viewing, I forged a little online community of those—Christian and non-Christian—engaged with the drama unfolding before them.
There has been plenty to engage with. The miniseries began with the crucifixion, through which characters were introduced, flashbacks to recent events were explored, and sides were taken. When the zealous Boaz entreated Peter and John and Jesus’ other disciples to join an uprising with violent overtones, Peter explained that he was a fighter and not a fisherman.Yet even in the earliest moments of the premiere, something was stirring and eventual insurrection will take place.
Marrying exceptional special effects, top rate acting and impressive production values, Downey and Burnett have again made an indelible mark on both Christian culture and the mainstream media. Indeed, I would argue that they are shifting the public’s perception of Christian entertainment. While the story still appeals to religious audiences, Downey and Burnett and crew do well to focus on the political and historical tenets that inspired the premiere’s comparison to aforementioned shows such as “Game of Thrones.” We can consider it a springboard to engage in conversation about the birth of the faith, its ramifications, and the severity of the persecution of its early members.
“A.D.” helps us go back and explore some of the moments in biblical history we may not have visited in a while, moments that were part of the plight of the early Christians in the years following Christ’s death and beyond, even as Roman rule was pressed harder and their fledgling movement survived, miraculously, amidst the harshest waves of tyranny.
It also embraces their humanity. Currents of divinity still linger after Jesus’ ascent, but for the most part Jesus’ followers are forced to walk by faith. They must now live, for the first time, without concrete proof. This moment helps connect us with Peter, John, and their fellow disciples. Believers have long had to justify their faith, explain it, and live it without the concrete evidence that the world would have us provide. As Jesus’ first disciples scatter throughout the world to preach the gospel and cast their nets for men and women who will also take up their crosses, they are forced to rely on stories, on conviction, on faith. While they had made great sacrifices to follow him, this rabble-rouser who shattered years of Jewish tradition, they had at least had His physical presence with them. Now, without that physical presence -- even though they have the Holy Spirit with them -- we see their all-too-human vulnerability. They, like Jesus when confronted by the Sanhedrin, must detach themselves from the status quo, planting a seed that will thrive and grow but also demand their lives and their all.
Over the next several weeks, I encourage viewers to invest in the series as an act of faith that it can be an ever-extending platform for Christian values and theology on the small screen. Also, cherish the fact that you can turn to NBC on Sunday night and hear Jesus’ name used not with irony or as a throwaway curse, but with reverence. Too often Christians can feel victimized in a secular entertainment field that they believe cloisters and secludes them. Here, Christians have made their mark and believers and non-believers alike can enjoy the fascinating story of an integral part of history. So DVR whatever Sunday show is your preference and make sure that you watch “A.D.” Your viewership can show the network that stories like this are welcome on television.
[bold and italics emphasis mine]
Rachel McMillan is a novelist in Toronto. She blogs at A Fair Substitute for Heaven.
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