| April May 2004 |
REVIEWS
Videos from the Resource Center
If you have seen the movie The Passion of the Christ, the Resource Center has material available for discussion and reflection. Some of our videos include:
Jesus of Montreal
Jesus of Montreal is Denys Arcand’s tragic story of a group of unknown actors who are commissioned to produce a play based on the life and death of Jesus. Its star soon finds his life mirroring that of his character, and by the film’s end, it’s hard to tell where one person ends and the other begins.The story is simple, the movie is powerful.The performances are gripping and the film is often surprisingly funny. [Return to Top of Page]
New! Tales from the Madhouse
A critically acclaimed BBC/Gateway films production set inside the crumbling walls of a dilapidated Victorian sanitarium. Eight mysterious characters reveal their secret stories to the visiting camera. The eight are linked by one unifying and crucial event in their lives: each of them has had an encounter with Jesus and the experience has left an indelible mark.The actors are acclaimed British actors who regularly appear on Masterpiece Theater.The videos are intriguing and are appropriate for older youth and adults.The series is an unexpected experience in Christian drama. (Eight 15-minute segments with study guide). [Return to Top of Page]
It is Finished |
The Revolutionary -Vision VideoHe started a revolution and showed the world that he was the Way. Now in this powerful new presentation of Jesus’ life, your teens will witness the events that turned the world upside down and discover why Jesus’ message is as compelling today as it was 2,000 years ago. Ideal for Sunday school, youth groups and retreats. 48 minutes. [Return to Top of Page] |
The death and rising of Jesus from the Gospel of John, as portrayed by storyteller Denis Dewey.
The Wall – Paraclete Press
This dynamic drama introduces Gestas and Dimas, two condemned prisoners agonizing in their prison cell in the early hours of Good Friday as they wait to be crucified. As the two men talk about their fear of death and the eternal fate that awaits them, they look into the next prison cell where another prisoner, accused of being the King of the Jews, may offer some hope. As the doomed men grapple with their impending death, they struggle between believing in the possibility of a Savior and succumbing to cynicism and bitterness. Raising and confronting some of life’s most searching questions, this video, along with an accompanying study guide, is an ideal tool to encourage discussion in a Lenten class or retreat, or as a personal exploration of forgiveness and salvation. [Return to Top of Page]
From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians
Broadcast on PBS by Frontline, this video series tells the epic story of the rise of Christianity.The four hours explore the life and death of Jesus, and the men and women whose belief, conviction, and martyrdom created the religion we now know as Christianity. Drawing upon historical evidence, the series challenges familiar assumptions and conventional notions about Christian origins.Archaeological finds have yielded new understandings of Jesus’ class and social status; fresh interpretations have transformed earlier ideas about the identity of the early Christians and their communities. Through engaging on-camera interviews with twelve scholars—New Testament theologians, archaeologists, and historians—the series presents their contributions to this intellectual revolution. [Return to Top of Page]
Books for Study Courses
Encountering Jesus
by ANTHONY GITTINS (Liguori/Triumph)
Encountering Jesus presents New Testament figures in a new light and is perfect for both group study and personal reflection. Based on solid biblical scholarship, but retold in language accessible to all, these sixteen short but perceptive commentaries emphasize the way in which people come to faith and discover discipleship by learning from the encounters Jesus had with others. The study guide, written by our adult education task force, is available.A study guide for the book and a listing of other resources are available at www.angmd. org/education and in the Resource Center. [Return to Top of Page]
Lectionary Bible Plays
by THE REV.WILLIAM FALLOWFIELD
This series of 26 playbooks, designed for the second half of Year C – Pentecost to Advent – is now available at St. Bede’s Bookstore.Written for use in educational programs, these plays are based on the Gospel for each Sunday. Jesus is presented as an approachable, struggling teacher and healer.The disciples are presented as people who try hard to make sense of the man they are following. Additional characters speak to make clear the words and actions of Jesus. Each play is followed by four questions which lead the readers to a deeper understanding of how the issues in Jesus’ day are the ones we face today.This 26-play book is priced at $16.00. The author,The Rev.William Fallowfield, is the former director of the Bishop Claggett Center. For more information about the plays, contact him at 410.243.3143 or email at wmhfallo@hotmail.com . [Return to Top of Page]
Study Courses
Equipping the Saints - A Pilot Project of Teacher Training in the Church
Are you tired of a band-aid approach to teacher training? Are you dismayed at having to constantly recruit warm bodies to staff Sunday school? Do you wish there was a better faith formation in your Church and more interest in it? Do you long for a biblically literate church and a community passionate about faith? If you would like to remedy the situation and take leadership development seriously, especially the training of those who teach, you are invited to take part in a pilot project of serious teacher training being offered in the Diocese and held in local congregations. The program involves a nine-month course that covers biblical background, the basics of Christian beliefs, and an introduction to good teaching practices.Those who choose to engage in the program will be given staff support and will be networked with others using the program. Sound Good? For more information, contact Klara Tammany ktammany@ang-md.org or call 1.800.793.1687, or Sherry McCall Ross at smccallross@ang-md.org . [Return to Top of Page]
(c) 2004 The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland
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