LDS Scholars promote 'Messiah'

Excerpts of Scholars defend 'Messiah' by Michael De Groote, Mormon Times
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"Every Easter or every Christmas there will be a cover story in one of the major news magazines about the 'historical Jesus,'" said Daniel C. Peterson, a professor of Arabic and Islamic studies at BYU. "A lot of people read this sort of thing and assume ... that there were some new textual finds, documentary discoveries or archeological excavations that have gutted traditional belief."

"(It's) an approach to the scriptures in terms of human reason," said Gaye Strathearn, a professor of ancient scripture at BYU. "But if you take God out of the New Testament, what are you left with?"

No virgin birth. No Atonement. No Resurrection.

 "Messiah: Behold the Lamb of God," a seven-part series that featured LDS scholars... was aimed at the younger members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to Hoskisson. It is meant to appeal to those who are most likely to confront the secular perspective about Christ.

Peterson, Strathearn, Hoskisson and Holzapfel were some of the 50 Mormon scholars who were interviewed for the new documentary. The documentary is a presentation of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, BYU Religious Education, BYU Broadcasting and Kaleidoscope Pictures.

BYU Television will broadcast a "sneak preview" of "Messiah: Behold the Lamb of God" on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. MST. The seven-part documentary's first episode will premiere on Jan. 10. The episodes will eventually be available on DVD and online. A 15-minute video overview of the series is available online at messiah.byu.edu.