CBC Documentaries

The Pagan Christ (2008x2)

Air date: Apr 13, 2008

There are 2.1 billion Christians on the planet - roughly one third of the entire human population. At the heart of their religion is the New Testament and the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. To Christianity, the written word is the glue that binds the faith of its followers. So, what if it could be proven that Jesus never existed? What if there was evidence that every word of the New Testament - the cornerstone of Christianity - is based on myth and metaphor? line-ups Author, Tom Harpur Based on Tom Harpur's national bestseller, The Pagan Christ examines these very questions. During his research, Harpur discovered that the New Testament is wholly based on Egyptian mythology, that Jesus Christ never lived, and that - indeed - the text was always meant to be read allegorically. It was the founders of the Church who duped the world into taking a literal approach to the scriptures. And, according to Harpur, this was their fatal error - and the very reason Christianity is struggling today. The mission of The Pagan Christ is not to accelerate Christianity's slow demise, but to breathe new life into its holy book and, in the process, bring the world a richer, more spiritual faith.