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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3005 notes).

Note 3004 by UMNS on June 11, 1996 at 16:08 Eastern (2866 characters).

SEARCH: F&V, Jesus, work, authenticity, Christians, scholars

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CONTACT: Linda Green                              290(10-71){3004}
          Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470            June 11, 1996

Faith and Values Channel enters 
debate to authenticate Jesus' life

                 by United Methodist News Service

     The battle between theologians and secular scholars on the
authenticity of the life and work of Jesus Christ continues when
the Faith & Values Channel (F&V) enters the fray with the premiere
of an original television special on June 23.
      "Jesus at 2000," to be broadcast at 6 p.m. (ET), June 23,  
examines the quest for the historical Jesus. The program seeks to
determine who Jesus was and to find out if the Bible story is an
accurate portrayal of his life. It also looks at how the debates
are affecting the Christian faith. The program will be repeated at
10 p.m. June 25 and at 1 a.m. June 26.
     The F&V channel, which reaches approximately 30 million
households on nearly 1,500 cable systems nationwide, is jointly
owned by subsidiaries of the National Interfaith Cable Coalition
Inc. (NICC) and of Tele-Communications Inc. (TCI).  NICC is a
consortium of 64 Protestant, Jewish, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox
faith groups and evangelical traditions, including the United
Methodist Church.
     In recent years, the "Jesus Wars" have occurred between
theologians, secular scholars and committed Christians. These
factions have debated publicly the authenticity of Jesus' life and
works as depicted in the Bible and argued the implications for the
Christian faith. The discussions, called by many to be one of the
most heated debates in modern religious history, also are
appearing on Internet bulletin boards as people post their
opinions about Christ.
     On this, the 2000th anniversary of Jesus' birth (most
biblical scholars believe he was born around 4 B.C.), the Faith &
Values Channel will provide an opportunity to see and hear the
central figures in the debate.
     Among those to be featured are leaders of the controversial
Jesus Seminar, a 75-member, self-appointed group of scholars who
say that most of the Gospels are unauthentic, and New Testament
scholars from Emory University, Oxford and Harvard Divinity
schools. 
     The program also joins a symposium at Oregon State University
attended by more than 1,000 people and fed by satellite to another
300 academic and church sites. In addition, viewers will hear from
committed Christian students and ordinary church members. 
                               # # #

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