ELCA NEWS SERVICE
May 26, 2004
ELCA's Mosaic Television Features Documentary on St. Paul
04-108-JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "The Life of Apostle Paul with Rick
Steves" is Mosaic Television's June 1 release, a 45-minute
documentary that traces the life of St. Paul, considered by
historians and biblical scholars as one of Christianity's
greatest theologians and missionaries. Steves, a noted
television personality, is guest host for the program.
Mosaic Television is a quarterly video program produced by
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) through the
church's Department for Communication. It is intended for
educational use in a variety of congregational settings including
Sunday school classes, adult forums, youth groups, women's and
men's groups, new member classes, church council meetings,
committee meetings and other organizational meetings.
Steves has hosted television programs for Public
Broadcasting Service (PBS) stations and the cable Travel Channel,
authored guidebooks, and written numerous articles for newspapers
and magazines. Steves is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, an
ELCA congregation in Lynnwood, Wash.
"I've always been interested in St. Paul," wrote Tim Frakes,
Mosaic Television producer, ELCA Department for Communication, in
a journal he kept during the program's production.
"Paul lived an extraordinary life full of adventure. He
lived in historic times, surrounded by epic figures [such as]
Caesar Augustus, Nero, Caligula, Peter, James, Luke, Barnabas and
Jesus Christ," Frakes wrote.
"The goal [of the program] is to tell the story of Apostle
Paul," he continued. "I think Paul is perhaps the most
fascinating personality in the Bible. His writings make up the
bulk of the New Testament. His adventures are the stuff of
Hollywood."
The program was shot on location in Antioch, Tarsus, Perga,
Lystra and Iconium in central and southern Turkey, Frakes said.
In Greece, the Mosaic Television crew visited Athens, Corinth,
Thessalonica and Philippi, he said.
The program features interviews with the Rev. Walt Wangerin
Jr., author of "Paul: A Novel," published in 2000 and based on
the Paul's biblical writings. Wangerin is also speaker for
"Lutheran Vespers," the ELCA radio ministry, and a faculty member
at Valparaiso (Ind.) University.
Others who appear in the program are the Rev. Susan R.
Briehl, Spokane, Wash., associate with the Project on Education
and Formation, Valparaiso University; and the Rev. Craig R.
Koester, professor of New Testament, Luther Seminary, St. Paul,
Minn. Luther is one of eight ELCA seminaries.
"Paul traveled a long way," Frakes wrote. "He went to big
cities and small villages. Some of the people he preached to
were sophisticated urbanites. Others were rural farmers and
shepherds."
"Every trip I have taken is an adventure and a joy," Frakes
said. "This one was no exception."
Mosaic Television is available in VHS and DVD formats. It
is broadcast Mondays at 10 p.m. (ET) and 1 a.m. Tuesdays (ET) on
direct broadcast satellite through Dominion Sky Angel on the
Faith TV Network. Some ELCA colleges and universities carry
Mosaic on local cable channels.
Each issue includes a user's guide with a synopsis of each
segment and discussion questions. Mosaic is issued quarterly.
Annual subscriptions are available through the ELCA Department
for Communication.
-- -- --
Specific information about Mosaic Television subscriptions
and the content of each issue are available on the Web at
http://www.elca.org/mosaic/ or by contacting the ELCA Department
for Communication by phone at 1-800-638-3522, ext. 6009.
Editors: Digital photographs that accompany "The Life of Apostle
Paul with Rick Steves" can be requested by e-mail at
[log in to unmask] or by phone 1-800-638-3522, ext. 6009.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
