The following comes from a March 31 story on Deadline.com.
A new faith-based project with A-list stars involved is coming now from Warner Bros. The project, Apostle Paul, is being developed at the studio for Hugh Jackman to star in the role as the Jewish man of God (also known as Saul of Tarsus) who crossed over to speak to the Romans and preach the word.
Jackman would produce, along with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck under their Pearl Street banner. A screenplay is currently being penned by Matt Cook (Triple Nine, By Way Of Helena). Also producing are Jennifer Todd (Pearl Street) and Chris Clarke, who helped initiate the project.
Paul was not one of the 12 original disciples but was converted on the Road to Damascus when Christ came to him and he was blinded by a great,white light. He was blinded until a man named Ananias prayed and restored his eyesight. Paul became one of the most important messengers of Jesus and went on trips to Rome and appeared before the rulers because he was also a Roman citizen. He is credited with writing 14 of 27 books in the New Testament.
Paul was also the founder of many churches. He began as the son of a Pharisee and steeped in Judaism. However, after being converted by Christ, he continued to preach for God and carried the message of Christ’s word. He was also put in prison for preaching when a miracle occurred. While in chains, he began singing Jesus’ praises and the prison shook like a violent earthquake and his chains fell off and jails doors opened and they left as frightened prison guards allowed them to pass.
The move follows the success of several other faith-based films including Son Of God, God’s Not Dead, Heaven Is For Real, to name a few. Jackman, of course, has a huge fan base due to the X-Men and Wolverine movies so his name and star power is well-established across the globe. The next and probably last Wolverine film hits theaters March 3, 2017. He is also on board to star as PT Barnum for The Greatest Showman On Earth. Same with Affleck and Damon (Bourne Supremacy franchise).
Making money is the name of the game in Hollywood.
There currently is a public thirst for Bible information.
The 1956 “Ten Commandments” Movie, and 2004 “The Passion of the Christ” are very well done, accurate, and timeless.
Both are available in dvd and blu-ray formats.
I highly recommend both movies.
However, far too many other Bible movies sacrifice accuracy, and some are false.
Looking for a wedding, birthday, graduation or other gift ?
Give a Catholic Bible. For ease of reading, I highly recommend the RSV-CE (Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition) in Large Print.
The RSV is used/referenced in the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” (second edition of 1997) and the Navarre Study Bible.
A Catholic Bible has 46 books in the Old Testament, while Protestant Bibles have 39.
There are Bible Dry Highlighters available that do not bleed through the thin pages and allow the reader to mark passages that are important to him/her.
There is a plenary indulgence for reading an approved (Catholic) Bible for a minimum of 30 minutes
when the other requirements are met of: being in the state of grace (free from attachment to all sin, venial & mortal – Confession); Holy Communion on that day; & prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father.
I agree with you Mike that far too often Bible movies and TV sacrifice accuracy and are full of false depictions. What comes to mind was the recent Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing Jesus” on Fox. He had so many scenes with invented dialogue it left me in disbelief. No where can they be found historically or in Scripture. Example he had Pilate condemning Jesus to the cross but what happened to Barabbas and the crowd’s choice offered by Pilate? Also the scene of the crucifixion the two thieves were crucified what looked like a block away from Jesus. How could the good thief, nailed also to a cross possibly converse with Jesus at such a distance? Also NBC’s Sunday’s “The Bible” while having good acting and scenes is also full of depictions and dialogue not found anywhere. I shall watch no more of them. The subject matter of Jesus and other biblical figures is too serious to alter and sends inaccurate information to both adults and especially children. Jesus is Truth!
I agree with MIKE and Idaho Pete.
And what is amazing is that Bill O’Reilly advertises himself as a Catholic, and his errant book “Killing Jesus” was on the best sellers list.
Let’s stick to Catholic Bibles for the Truth.
CCC: ” 81 Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit.
And [Holy] Tradition transmits in its entirety the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit.
It transmits it to the successors of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound and spread it abroad by their preaching. ”
CCC: ” 105 God is the author of Sacred Scripture. The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
For Holy Mother Church, relying on the faith of the apostolic age, accepts as sacred and canonical the books of the Old and the New Testaments, whole and entire, with all their parts, on the grounds that, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author, and have been handed on as such to the Church herself. “
I just saw a movie recently on netflix about a Catholic boy concerned that his little Jewish friend wouldn’t get to heaven so he sets out to convert him. It was produced by Damon and I believe Affleck, as well. When I saw those names listed as producers of a movie on St. Paul, all I can say is, ‘Don’t get your hopes up”, if that film I saw is anything to go by. They completely twisted Catholic teaching to be politcally correct and palatable to the masses. I hate the thought of Matt Damon anywhere near the story of the apostle Paul. Also, it would appear Mike doesn’t realize we’re a Catholic website or he has a really low opinion of our Biblical backgrounds and theological understanding? heh
Dana, how many Diocese Bishops and Parish Priests in the USA actively and frequently promote the reading of a Catholic Bible and the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” at home – from the pulpit, in Parish bulletins, on Diocese and Parish web sites ?
Many Catholics don’t own a Catholic Bible and the CCC;
many don’t even know the difference between a Catholic and Protestant Bible;
and certainly many have not read the Bible from cover to cover, or the CCC from cover to cover.
MIKE is correct in teaching Catholics, fallen away Catholics, and those who have never been properly taught the Faith, and those who may be interested in more info about the Catholic Faith.
It’s too bad many Bishops and many Priests do not do their own jobs.
CCC: ” 2653 The Church “forcefully and specially exhorts all the Christian faithful . . . to learn ‘the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ’ (Phil 3:8) by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. . . . Let them remember, however, that prayer should accompany the reading of Sacred Scripture, so that a dialogue takes place between God and man. For we speak to him when we pray; we listen to him when we read the divine oracles. “
Excellent advice. Every Catholic family should have a Bible (RSV Catholic Edition) in their home. It should be read on a regular basis by all family members who are old enough to understand.
It is best to use a Study Bible in which the extensive footnotes assist in getting to the true meaning of passages. In that regard, the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament published by Ignatius Press with commentary and notes written by Curtis Mitch and Scott Hahn is excellent. Both writers now are working on an Old Testament Study Bible, and that is being published by individual Old Testament book as each book is completed. All are available in Catholic book stores and directly from Ignatius Press and Amazon.
While it is good to see the numerous Bible era series being made for TV, it is discouraging to see the high level of inaccuracies and completely false information being portrayed in those films.
The Ten Commandments movie was on TV last week. It is a beautifully done and highly accurate film. The same goes for The Passion of The Christ. We have a copy of The Passion on DVD and watch it every Good Friday.
Xavior, we also have a copy of the “Passion of the Christ” and watch it every Good Friday.
It brings tears to ones eyes, and makes one silently murmur a prayer of repentance for our own role in crucifying Christ by our own sins.