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WASHINGTON (April 4, 2006)—A trailer highlighting observations of experts featured in the upcoming TV documentary Jesus Decoded is available on www.jesusdecoded.com.
The four-minute, forty-four second trailer is the latest addition to the Web site developed by the U.S. Bishops' Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC). Visitors can view the excerpts from the program by clicking on the "TV Special" section of the Web site, and then clicking on "View the Trailer." The trailer has been posted in formats that can be viewed on computers with Windows or Macintosh operating systems and is also available for download to Apple iPod or Sony Playstation portable systems.
Jesus Decoded is an hour-long documentary that answers important questions that people are asking about Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church in light of popular media such as The Da Vinci Code. The program will be offered to TV NBC-TV stations affiliated with the NBC Network for broadcast starting the third weekend of May.
The hour-long documentary will highlight clear and accurate information about the person of Jesus, his disciples, and the formation of the books in the canon (or list of books) of the New Testament. Shot on location in Israel, Turkey, and Italy for the CCC by NewGroup Media, Jesus Decoded offers a solid Catholic response to Da Vinci Code believers, concentrating especially on the first three centuries of the development of the Church. The program includes interviews with international scholars versed in art, history, and Scripture, including:
-- Salesian Father Francis J. Moloney, a renowned biblical expert who most recently served on the faculty of the Catholic University of America.
-- Richard Hays, Ph.D., George Washington Ivey Professor of the New Testament at Duke University's Divinity School, and internationally recognized expert on the letters of Paul and on New Testament ethics.
-- Sister of St. Joseph Maria Pascuzzi, associate professor of the New Testament at the University of San Diego who is recognized for her knowledge of the Gospel of John and the letters of Paul.
-- Marist Father Justin Taylor, a biblical scholar and expert on Christian origins and New Testament professor at the École Biblique et Archéologique Française in Jerusalem
-- Robert Randolf Coleman, Ph.D., an art expert and associate professor at the University of Notre Dame.
The documentary will be available for purchase on DVD from USCCB Publishing on May 19. Those who seek more information about the documentary or would like to pre-order the DVD, can visit www.jesusdecoded.com and click on the "TV Special" section, or call USCCB Publishing at 1-800-235-8722.
The Web site also features articles on Jesus and the teachings of the Catholic Church that present the facts and rebut the fiction presented in The Da Vinci Code and other popular books.
The Catholic Communication Campaign is an activity of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops that develops media programming, public service announcements, and other resources to promote Gospel values. Donations by Catholic parishioners make possible the work of the CCC. For more information, visit www.usccb.org/ccc .