THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF POPE JOHN PAUL II & CHRISTMAS AND EASTER LITURGIES CELEBRATIONS

With the rapprochement of Roman Catholics and Lutherans and the new evangelical thrust of the Roman Catholic Church, it is only fitting that a serious exploration of the life and teachings of Pope John Paul II be presented to the greater public beyond the institutional Roman Catholic Church. Narrated by born-again Protestant and British actor James Fox, THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF POPE JOHN PAUL II & CHRISTMAS AND EASTER LITURGIES CELEBRATIONS presents, without comment, a commanding portrait of Pope John Paul II.

The video includes his very fervent commitment to Jesus Christ, his sagacious pre-empting of the ecumenical movement, his admiration for the Virgin Mary (which will concern Protestants), and even his appointment of a divorced woman as the Vatican ambassador to the international women’s meeting in Peking ( a woman who stood firm and spoke out against abortion. Thus, the video presents a complex person who has shaped Roman Catholicism in unique ways and has brought the Roman Church out from behind the walls of the Vatican and onto the public stage.

The documentary gives a brief biography of the man born Karol Wojtyla in Krakow, Poland in the 1920s. His life and perhaps his admiration for Mary was shaped by the death of his mother when he was a little boy. By the time he turned 21-years-old, he had witnessed the death of all his brothers and sisters. World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland deflated his dreams of acting and helped ignite his call to the priesthood where he stood against the evils of Communism and helped to bring about the end of the Soviet Empire. He is the first native of Poland to be made pontiff and the first non-Italian to be elected Pope since 1522. With this background, it is no wonder that he has transformed the office of Pontiff, traveling widely and speaking out distinctly on issues from abortion to communism to poverty.

It is clear in the video that this is a man focused on prayer and on Jesus Christ. He mentions Jesus not only in liturgy and official functions, but also as the reason for his call to his mission and his ministry. He opposes liberation theology, all the vestiges of Marxism and the excesses of capitalism.

There is much to like about Pope John Paul II, but Protestants will take issue with his preoccupation with the Madonna and the alleged visions of Mary at Fatima, Spain. Though these are only brief moments in the production, they highlight very clear and important theological differences.

The good news is that these tapes start and end by lifting up Jesus Christ. In the process of presenting the Pope and the beautiful liturgies great care is taken to develop a narration which presents Jesus in fullness and glory. This video embraces Soteriology (the theological doctrine of salvation) and encompasses the complete nature of Christian theology from incarnational to sacramental theology, as presented in the person of Jesus Christ.

Roman Catholics should love these tapes available from HBO Home video. Protestants who are interested in the church at large should take care to understand this man who has transformed the Roman Catholic Church.