With the help of scholars and theologians, he will examine Jesus's lost adolescent years, the start and growth of his ministry, and his death and believed resurrection, which would spark the birth of one of the largest religions on the planet. Robert Powell, star of the 1970s miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth," is on a mission to unlock the mystery of Jesus's lost years. John Cavanagh, Charles Poe and David Royle will executive produce for Smithsonian Channel. They’re not credible historical sources.”, The discrepancy between the Gospels and Biblical scholarship arises from the nature of accounts themselves, he adds. The gospels themselves are very bare in what they have to say.”, ‘We have no idea where Mary lived or where John the Baptist hung out. The Smithsonian Channel docuseries, premiering Sunday at 9 p.m., is an examination of the early years of Jesus’ ministry, from his baptism to the miracles he performed. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. inspired Christianity. “It’s a privilege to have gained access to the original film footage and Robert Powell’s unique connection to this story makes him a wonderful and insightful guide to the historical Jesus and the Holy Land.”. The famed 1977 British-Italian miniseries “Jesus of Nazareth” is the jumping-off point for “The Real Jesus of Nazareth,” which compares dramatizations of the gospels to what scholars actually know of the life of the Son of God. A lot of the stories are legendary inventions.”, Still, Powell has a grand time retracing his youthful steps in the Holy Land, where the miniseries was filmed on location. Terms of Use “A lot of it is screenwriter imagination. Your California Privacy Rights 62,789, © 2020 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved All Rights reserved. With virtually no mention in the Gospels of his life from his youth to adulthood, Powell is determined to find evidence of the real Jesus during these formative years. Copyright © 2020 Penske Business Media, LLC. “Jesus of Nazareth is a cultural phenomenon, and essentially created a new image of Jesus for the television age,” said David Royle, Smithsonian Channel’s Executive VP of Programming and Production. They have their own perspective and their own set of beliefs who Jesus was,” Ehrman says. With virtually no mention in the Gospels of his life from his youth to adulthood, Powell is determined to find evidence of the real Jesus during these formative years. The film is a biased, liberal view of Jesus, seeking to debunk the fact that Jesus is the Messiah, the Saviour, the Son of God. © 2020 CBS Interactive. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. You will be redirected back to your article in, Fox’s ‘Let’s Be Real’ Skewers Politicos With Robert Smigel’s Brand Of Daring Humor, President Donald Trump & First Lady Test Positive For COVID-19, UMC, RLJE Films To Release ‘Always and Forever’ Starring Lauren London; Vertical Entertainment Lands ‘Faith’ Drama – Film Briefs, Warner Bros. Forty years after the 1977 miniseries Jesus of Nazareth premiered, the Smithsonian Channel has greenlit The Real Jesus Of Nazareth, a four-part series which will debut sometime next year. Boards Feature Adaptation Of ‘Black’ Comic From Studio 8, Rob & Michele Reiner Relaunch Castle Rock Banner With Overall Deal At WBTV, ‘The Gentlemen’ Series Based On Movie In Works At Miramax With Guy Ritchie Writing & Directing, ‘Billions’ Gets Season 6 On Showtime; Netflix’s ‘F Is For Family’ Sets Fifth & Final Run, Gerald Butler Thriller ‘Greenland’ Skips Theaters With Big HBO Max Deal In U.S.; Amazon Takes 3 Territories. The lack of archaeological evidence is irrelevant to the truth of who Jesus is. Our Holy Land tour guide is British actor Robert Powell, 72, who played a humane, blue-eyed Jesus in the Franco Zeffirelli miniseries, which aired on NBC in 1981 with co-stars Michael York and Anne Bancroft. Bart D. Ehrman, a professor in the department of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, actually teaches the Zeffirelli miniseries in his class. THE REAL JESUS OF NAZARETH, a four-part series, will premiere on Smithsonian Channel in 2017. of our. The Lost Years. Privacy Notice 70,239, This story has been shared 62,789 times. S1 E1 It's in the mail: Woman forfeits lotto prize after USPS loses ticket, Indigenous woman films Canadian hospital staff taunting her before death, Court rules the rolls at Subway are legally NOT bread, Socialite kills two young boys in Los Angeles crash, Wisconsin school worker jailed for exposing herself to student. Smithsonian Channel has announced its new TV series, The Real Jesus of Nazareth will premiere on Easter Sunday, April 16th, at 8:00pm ET. Sitemap Your Ad Choices “They’re somebody’s guesses. The Smithsonian Channel is airing a new series that delves into the historical figure who inspired Christianity. “You have these four different authors. Would you like to receive desktop browser notifications about breaking news and other major stories? The announcement was made today by David Royle, Executive Vice President of Programming and Production, Smithsonian Channel. All rights reserved. Jesus did not err in anything he said or foretold. They’re somebody’s guesses. Send us a tip using our annonymous form. The show follows Robert Powell, the British actor who played Jesus in the original, as he returns to the Holy Land to seek out clues to the real historical figure who inspired Christianity. When he meets a crowd of people who’ve come to the Jordan River to be baptized, the priest tells him, “Forty years ago, you looked like Jesus. Impossible Factual is producing the series for Smithsonian Networks with Jonathan Drake and Steve Maher serving as exec producers. We want to hear from you! Guided by the Gospels and the latest archaeological and historical research, Powell will travel to Israel, new shedding light on a famous tale. 124,842, This story has been shared 70,239 times. “The Real Jesus of Nazareth” Series premiere 9 p.m. Sunday on Smithsonian Channel Filed under documentaries , easter , jesus christ , smithsonian channel , 4/14/17 Share this article: Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Launch dates for broadcast, cable and streaming programs, Up-to-date lists for broadcast, cable and streaming series, Pandemic-proof vs. pandemic-contingent broadcast lineups, Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters, Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. We've received your submission. Actor Robert Powell, star of TV miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth," is on a journey across the Holy Land to discover the real story of the role he played decades ago. They’re not credible historical sources.’. Follow him as he journeys across Nazareth, Bethlehem, Sepphoris, and Jerusalem to explore the events that may have transformed this young boy into the iconic preacher he would become. Thanks for contacting us. I immediately cancelled my Smithsonian subscription. Viewers can let their imaginations run wild as Powell takes in vast stretches of the Bethlehem and Nazarene landscapes, but Ehrman outright poo-poohs two of the sites he visits: the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, which is thought to enclose the remains of Mary’s house, and a cave where John the Baptist was thought to have baptized people. “We have no idea where Mary lived or where John the Baptist hung out,” Ehrman says. Mary J. Blige sends mom and brother to Yonkers wine launch in her place, Sacha Baron Cohen was never ‘made’ during Trump stunt at CPAC, Halle Berry credits kids (and potential grandkids) for fitness inspiration, Yes, Kathie Lee Gifford Has Seen Her Son-in-Law’s Too Tight Pants on ‘Family Feud’: “It’s Hard to Miss It”, © 2020 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, 'SNL' gives first look of Jim Carrey as Joe Biden, Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris, Chrissy Teigen's mom posts tribute to grandson after daughter's pregnancy loss. Now you look like a godfather.”, “The Real Jesus of Nazareth” Series premiere 9 p.m. Sunday on Smithsonian Channel, Why Hollywood should get over its prequel obsession, This story has been shared 124,842 times.