Bible Society launches resources for BBC's Passion series

A resource pack for teaching about Holy Week and Easter, The Passion, is now available from Bible Society.

The resource is based on the BBC four-part drama series, The Passion. The epic and dramatic re-telling of the last week of Jesus' life, starring James Nesbitt and Penelope Wilton, captivated four million BBC One viewers across Holy Week 2008.

Now a comprehensive pack is available exclusively from Bible Society, featuring the complete series on DVD and filmed interviews with the cast and producers. It also comes with a range of materials for RE at Key Stage 3, GCSE and 16+ general RE, on CD-Rom and in print. Resources for youth and house groups have also been prepared.

The resource provides RE teachers with creative learning activities and detailed teaching schemes for individual lessons. And church leaders will be supplied with new ideas for worship and discussion.

Michael Pfundner, Bible Society's Bible and Church Development Officer, said, "I recommend the resource as an antidote to spiritual indifference. At Bible Society it's our hope that The Passion will rekindle the fire among those who watch the programmes.

"The materials we've produced are thought-provoking and enlightening and will work a treat for spurring discussions about what is arguably the most important historical event."

The Passion begins when a young religious teacher enters Jerusalem for Passover in a manner promised by centuries-old prophecies of the Messiah. This dramatic account intimately portrays key players right up to the climax of Jesus' mission. And it encourages discussion on topics like Christ's resurrection, which was controversial 2,000 years ago and provokes mixed reactions today.

With movies like The Last King of Scotland and popular television series Spooks under his belt, David Oyelowo, who played the role Joseph of Arimathea, and is himself a Christian said, "I read the script with a sceptical eye, but to my delight I recognised it as the story and events that have shaped my life for the last 15 years."

On the web: www.biblesociety.org.uk/thepassion