Caroline Friday is a novelist and award winning screenwriter with several film projects in development for both television and theatrical distribution. She is also a 2008 Kairos Screenwriting Winner for spiritually uplifting screenplays, sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation. Caroline currently serves as EVP of Sixth Day Media, LLC, a film finance and production company headquartered in the Atlanta area. She lives in Marietta, Georgia, with her husband and three children and can be found at www.carolinefriday.com.

A.D. The Bible Continues is a wonderful twelve-part miniseries produced by Roma Downey and husband, Mark Burnett, which is a follow-on to their miniseries, The Bible. It is an excellent historical presentation on the first century church that focuses primarily on the Apostles Peter and Paul. The quality of the story and production is superb, considering the typical Hollywood television fare that is chocked full of occult symbology and immoral themes. But sadly, NBC cancelled the series after one season.

The story follows the Book of Acts, with the resurrection of Christ and the disciplines receiving the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The filling of the Spirit is a beautiful scene, which may not be presented in a way that many of us have imagined from our denominational background. But it does its job in that it sets the tone for a Godly spiritual story, which is rare for television, indeed.

Adam Levy is terrific as Peter, who is chosen by the Lord to lead the church through a harrowing period of persecution from their fellow Jews. Caiaphas, the Jewish High Priest, and his conniving wife play the political game against the evil Pontius Pilate and his compassionate wife, Claudia, who is willing to sacrifice her husband’s favor to protect the new believers. Once the insanity of the Roman emperor, Caligula, enters the mix, the stakes get higher, and everyone is at risk of losing all power to Rome. The excitement of the political intrigue amongst the leaders of the Temple, the Zionist rebels, and the followers of Jesus takes the standard Christian story to a higher level than what most of us have seen over the years. All of the players must carefully maneuver through this most important time in history, which culminates with Rome’s destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

A note on the casting of several major characters: because people of many races and ethnicity made up the body of Christ during those days, the producers have reflected this truth by casting actors of African descent to play Apostle John and Mary of Magdalen. It is an unusual, yet refreshing, portrayal that reflects the Lord’s unity in His church, despite man’s prejudices.

The most passionate scenes in this miniseries are played by Emmett J. Scanlon who portrays the Apostle Paul. His transformation from the maniacal Saul of Tarsus who mercilessly persecutes the faith to the apostle of grace is extremely powerful. I was especially touched by his water baptism; as he immerged out of the water, the joy he displays seemed so authentic that it brought tears to my eyes. His words of encouragement to the other believers are impassioned and heart-felt and aren’t the least bit preachy. Because it is so rare to find Hollywood productions portray the life of Paul, this theatrical display is quite special. I would have loved to have seen a miniseries that focused on his missionary travels throughout that known world.

While Jesus is not a central character of this miniseries, His resurrection is what drives the story. Christ is represented in every scene, and the reaction of His message from the established Jewish temple system is the antagonist that provides the greatest conflict. Richard Coyle does a great job of portraying the stubborn, stiff-necked Caiaphas who will stop at nothing to preserve his position as High Priest of the Jewish temple system. As the powers of Rome begin to stir, it is clear that what he so desperately desires to save is headed for doom, just as the prophets predicted. Even the disciples recognize that God’s prophecies of judgment are coming to pass.

A.D. the Bible is truly one of the best historical Christian productions I have seen since The Passion of the Christ. It opens the door to a crucial part of church history that so few of us believers are exposed to in our denominations. It encouraged me to dig into the writings of Josephus and some of the other ancient historians to learn more about the political climate of that time that many believe is reflected in End Times theology.

Roma Downey and Mark Burnett are commended for a job well done on this project. I look forward to more biblical productions from them in the future, whether it be in the theater, television, or perhaps the Internet. It is so important to support authentic Christian media during these times when the occult agenda has dominance over most of our entertainment choices. May all of us creative believers in Christ keep creating and presenting His Truth to the world!

May the Heavenly Father richly bless all of you!