|PIC1|What a privilege, pleasure and joy to watch a brilliantly produced drama on the story I love the most and the story I would want the world to see, understand and experience.

Script writer Frank Deasy interprets the week preceding the crucifixion of Jesus in more detail than scripture gives and inevitably he has elaborated. He focuses on and develops characters that we only read about as a part of the story - including Pilate and Caiaphas the High Priest.

Using 'creative licence' Frank interprets the thoughts and feelings of all the characters concerned with this time - disciples, Romans soldiers, Barrabas, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus, and of course, Jesus himself.

He gives background to these characters that is only implied by a few words in the Bible. They speak words and have conversations that are not in the Bible, there is an emphasis on characters that is not made in the Bible, there are words drawn from other parts of the gospels appearing in what might be the wrong place and order. But having said all this, The Passion pays great regard to scripture.

There will inevitably be parts of the drama that Christians will argue aren't entirely accurate, or with which they may feel uncomfortable because this most important narrative has been dramatised for television. But here we have the greatest story ever told on prime time BBC!

What a great opportunity it presents us with to talk to friends and work colleagues about the drama on the TV the night before, to maybe chat about the characters, to share thoughts about how true it is to the Bible, to debate the writer's interpretation.

This programme will, most importantly, give us the opportunity to talk quite naturally about the impact of this man, Jesus, on the people of his time, and the impact of Jesus, his life, death and resurrection, on our own lives.

The BBC has done what the church cannot do - it has brought Jesus into the living rooms of the nation and it will hopefully open conversations over night that some people may have waited weeks, months or even years to have with family, friends and work colleagues.

It has been said that God's mission has a church to do His work in the world. I believe right now that God will be using the BBC to do His work in the world.



Major Jenine Main has been a Salvation Army officer (minister) for more than 20 years and is currently the Mission Development Officer for The Salvation Army in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, working to develop mission through resourcing, training and research.