Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The Evil One · 12-20-2004, 04:36 AM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/S...376988,00.html

On Christmas Day, no less.

On Channel 4, of course.

And it sounds as if many of the topics being addressed are ones that get discussed over and over here in BCH.

Just a heads-up to any UK posters who might be interested but aren't aware of this!

Lucretius · 12-20-2004, 04:42 AM

I was aware of this programme and plan to tape it as I anticipate being extremely hungover on Christmas day so I'll save watching it till my brain such as it is is capable of coherent thought

Toto · 12-20-2004, 10:51 AM

This beats anything on American TV.

Quote:

Evangelical groups are angry that Who Wrote the Bible?, which will go out at 8.30pm, paints a negative picture of Christian organisations and suggests links between them and the troubles in the Middle East.

They have also expressed concerns about the presenter, Dr Robert Beckford, a reader in theology at Birmingham University. Beckford's critically acclaimed documentary God is Black, which compared white and black people's interpretation of Christianity, angered some in the Anglican church who accused it of 'racialising' religious issues.

. . .

Of the Old Testament, Beckford declares: 'The so-called law of Moses turns out to be the work of many human hands. What I once thought was the word of God was now beginning to sound like something out of Stalin's Russia.'

He produces archaeological evidence to suggest the Bible's claims that the kingdoms of David and Solomon dominated the 10th century BC were wrong, an error that raises profound claims about the genesis of Christianity.

. . .

One of the most revealing moments comes when Beckford visits the US state of Georgia to talk to President Bush's spiritual adviser, baptist minister Richard Land. Land dismisses as 'rubbish' suggestions that the Bible is inaccurate and cannot be the basis for political decisions. 'When you stand in judgment of scripture, that is a theology of death,' says Land, who has called for Iraq to be 'flooded' with US troops.

To Beckford such views are deeply alarming. 'This was what surprised me most about my journey, discovering how dangerous this fundamentalism can be,' he said.

Robert Beckford is a tutor in Black theology (?) and also hosts an Afro-Caribbean music show.

12-20-2004, 12:10 PM

Looks bogus to me. Beckford is a a reader in theology at Birmingham and one of Mark Goodacre's colleagues. The idea he has suddenly comes across all sorts of disturbing scholarship on the bible is rather laughable, but I suppose it makes for a better show than "here's what I learnt at college'.

B

Celsus · 12-20-2004, 09:27 PM

Quote:

'When you stand in judgment of scripture, that is a theology of death,' says Land, who has called for Iraq to be 'flooded' with US troops.

:rolling: :rolling: :rolling:

*choke*

Seriously though, I hope someone catches it and takes notes of who is interviewed. I'm betting that the media has blown it up a bit more than it will actually claim.

Joel

12-20-2004, 04:36 AM	#1
The Evil One Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: England Posts: 2,561	biblical criticism and history on the telly in the UK http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/S...376988,00.html On Christmas Day, no less. On Channel 4, of course. And it sounds as if many of the topics being addressed are ones that get discussed over and over here in BCH. Just a heads-up to any UK posters who might be interested but aren't aware of this!

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12-20-2004, 04:42 AM	#2
Lucretius Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: . Posts: 1,014	I was aware of this programme and plan to tape it as I anticipate being extremely hungover on Christmas day so I'll save watching it till my brain such as it is is capable of coherent thought

12-20-2004, 12:10 PM	#4
Bede Guest Posts: n/a	Looks bogus to me. Beckford is a a reader in theology at Birmingham and one of Mark Goodacre's colleagues. The idea he has suddenly comes across all sorts of disturbing scholarship on the bible is rather laughable, but I suppose it makes for a better show than "here's what I learnt at college'. B

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