Review of The God Who Wasn't There (2005) by Trinity C — 07 Feb 2006

I purchased this film and have enjoyed watching it several times. For anyone unfamiliar with the premise that Christ may very well have been a mythic figure, this is a great introduction to the idea. The filmmaker doesn't bog the viewer down in dense theology as a more scholarly documentary might. Instead he presents the basic premise in parallel with his own personal story of escape from religious fundamentalism. He shows many compelling reasons why we should question whether Christ actually existed in the flesh. At the same time he tries to portray just how odd and grotesque the Christian story is when interpretted literally. It's potentially an eye-opener for anyone feeling the least bit uncomfortable with the Christian faith.

Once the viewer's appetite is whetted by this film the two full length commentaries and DVD extra provide a wealth of more scholarly information. Links to internet sources and a bibliography of books written by those appearing in the film are provided for you to sink your teeth into. Two writers in particular show very different directions for further study: Sam Harris is a strong advocate for the abandonment of religious belief in our modern society, while Robert M. Price writes extensively about healthier ways to embrace the Bible as mythic storytelling, rather than as dictates and dogma.

This film is a breath of fresh air at a time when critical thinking is quite clearly under attack by biblical literalists.