VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 12/04/07) - The Baptist Center for Ethics (BCE) has announced release of a 13-minute DVD, "The Nazareth Manifesto," exploring Luke 4:18-19, the Bible passage that sets the theme for the New Baptist Covenant celebration scheduled Jan. 30-Feb. 1 in Atlanta. Dr. Aidsand F. Wright-Riggins III, executive director of National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA is included in the DVD.
Made possible by a gift from the Baugh Foundation in memory of John and Eula Mae Baugh, the film offers an antidote to interpretations that water down or spiritualize Jesus' first public statement at the start of his ministry.
According to the Bible, Jesus entered his hometown synagogue and read from a scroll of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah: "The spirit of the Lord is upon me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
In the film, Wright-Riggins discusses what Jesus meant by the phrase "release to the captives":
"Part of the challenge of what it means to be Baptist in our society is to reclaim the holistic understanding of what it means to proclaim release to all captives," he says. "We become so privatized and personalized in our society right now that we believe Jesus only provides release from psychological captivity, but I believe that Jesus calls the church to align itself with those who are in all forms of captivity."
Others featured in the DVD include: Dr. Darrell Gwaltney, dean of the School of Religion, Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn.; Dr. William Buchanan, pastor of Fifteenth Avenue Baptist Church, Nashville, Tenn.; Dr. Stephanie Buckhanon Crowder, assistant professor in the School of Religion, Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn.; and Dr. Brent McDougal, coordinator of Alabama Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
Wright-Riggins, Gwaltney, Buchanan, Crowder and McDougal look forward to studying the text together from various ethnic and cultural perspectives when various Baptist groups from across North America gather together next year in Atlanta.
"In 'The Nazareth Manifesto,' we break down Luke 4:18-19 and give these Baptist leaders room to engage both text and context," says Cliff Vaughn, culture editor of EthicsDaily.com, who co-produced the DVD along with BCE Executive Director Robert Parham. "They don't disappoint."
The DVD costs $12 and is available for order at the BCE Web site.
"We believe the video can help ignite discussions about Jesus' words and actions in this pivotal moment of his ministry," Vaughn says.
Other Luke 4 resources offered by BCE include a free, on-line Bible study, The Agenda: 8 Lessons from Luke 4 . The resource includes a student's and leader's guide authored by prominent North American Baptists, and a Bible study commentary authored by the faculty of the School of Religion at Belmont University.
Worship resources include a hymn, "Day of Jubilee" by Ronald Poythress, a litany, sample sermons and a communion meditation.
Andrew C. Jayne American Baptist Churches USA Mission Resource Development http://www.abc-usa.org/