Wow, I like this music video from Aradhna. They’re a group of Christian musicians who play in the Hindi tradition. Most of the vocals are in Sanskrit. However when translated to English they show thoughtful lyrics deeply rooted in Scripture. It’s some of the most refreshing music from Christians I’ve experienced in some time.
Here’s a song titled Mukteshwar, based on the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy; Praise the name of the God of Liberation; Sing my soul, Sing my soul; Those who are poor in this world; Blessed are they, blessed are they; For the kingdom of heaven is theirs …” [Full lyrics]. Enjoy!
I love movies, especially looking at them from a theological perspective. One genre of film are the Jesus movies. I’m not only fascinated how Jesus is portrayed in these films, but also the way the story is told. Lately I keep stumbling on these films, here’s a couple that have stuck with me recently:
Barabbas (1961)
My friend Rob Simmons, a huge film aficionado and movie critic, gifted me the 1961 film Barabbas, starring Anthony Quinn. While not a typical Jesus film, the opening scenes begin on Good Friday, when Barabbas is freed by Pontius Pilate. We witness the crucifixion, the empty tomb, and an encounter with the disciples, even a conversation with a ghostly Lazarus, all through the eyes of Barabbas. The rest of the film traces his life from being a slave to a gladiator in Rome. Barabbas is “haunted” by the reality that Jesus of Nazareth gave him his freedom. A film years ahead of its time, Barabbas, is a hidden gem of the Jesus films.
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
I have the The Greatest Story Ever Told on DVD, but it was on television this Sunday morning, so my daughter and I watched the last forty-five minutes together. This time around I was struck by literally license of the film, particularly Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin. The film’s director/writer George Stevens, takes the man who was healed of blindness in John 9, and brings him into the trial as a witness against Jesus. The witness is questioned, similar to the questions by the religious leaders, in John 9, but the final response of the witness is phenomenal:
The Suburban Pastor is the personal blog of Jeff Gang. I’m a pastor at the CrossWalk Seventh-day Adventist Church in Redlands, California. This blog is a place for me to share my thoughts about ordinary life as a Jesus follower, pastor, husband, father of three, friend, and triathlete in my spare time.
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