Who wrote the New Testament ? dvd S4C, 2003 3 hours £13 ISBN 0 564 035 36X
According to the producers, this is ‘the story of 27 compositions that changed the course of history’.
The 27 compositions in question are the 27 books of the New Testament.
In 3 presentations of about an hour each, scholars and experts examine the 4 gospels, then the letters (mostly Paul’s) and, finally, the Revelation or Apocalypse.
The array of scholars and the backing and involvement of the Bible Society ensure that the exploration of how the New Testament came to be written and put together, endorsed by the church as canonical, is dispassionate, reliable and as historically accurate as possible given that we are talking documents form about many centuries ago.
Arriving at its decision as to the reliability and authenticity of the many manuscripts in circulation over the centuries following the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the early church had to contend with difficulties and challenges aplenty, not least Gnosticism which is given time and space in this film.
This is a serious and intelligent exploration of the creation of the New Testament for anyone interested in what is a primary source of our faith. It is also well illustrated.
Well worth watching.