The Apostolic Age opens Easter night on NBC

By Dr. Jeff Mirus ( bio - articles - email ) | Mar 16, 2015 | In Reviews

Following the massive popularity of the 2013 miniseries The Bible, NBC will air a 12-part sequel, A. D. The Bible Continues. The original series, produced by husband and wife team Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, aired in 2013 on the History Channel. A. D. The Bible Continues will premiere this Easter, April 5th, at 9:00 pm EST (8 pm Central), and will continue in the same time slot on successive Sundays.

In order to help Catholics benefit from A. D. The Bible Continues, Sophia Institute Press has contracted to be the exclusive publisher of Catholic resources related to the miniseries. The twelve episodes cover the early Church after the Crucifixion, as recounted in the Book of Acts and other sources, offering a dramatic chronicle of the trials and successes of the Church in the Apostolic Age. Sophia offers two companion volumes so that Catholics can use the miniseries for more than mere entertainment.

The first is a very readable 140-page book by Mike Aquilina, entitled Ministers and Martyrs, which provides accurate historical background. The second is the Catholic Viewer’s Guide by Veronica Burchard, which identifies key characters and important terms to go with each episode, as well as drawing out key Catholic themes through Scripture and the Saints. The Guide also includes discussion questions and ideas for evangelization arising from each of the twelve programs.

Aquilana’s book is excellent background reading for all viewers. Burchard’s guide is ideal for parents who wish to use the miniseries as part of their children’s religious education.

In addition to producing two impressive miniseries on the Bible, Burnett and Downey have demonstrated strong Christian sympathies in other areas, including raising $25 million to assist Christians in Iraq and Syria displaced by ISIS. The couple also produced the CBS miniseries, The Dovekeepers starring Cote de Pablo. Based on the novel by Alice Hoffman about the Roman siege of the Jews in Masada in AD 70, this two-part series will air on March 31st and April 1st.