By Sharon Mager, BCM/D Correspondent
NEW YORK—Evangelist and Fox News Contributor on Religion/Politics Frank Shelton, Jr., evangelist for the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists, shared his thoughts about the movie, “Son of God,” on the popular Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity show on Feb. 21. The movie opens in theaters on Feb. 28.
Shelton, who lives in Southern Maryland, appeared with filmmakers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett.
The movie tells the story through the eyes of John the Apostle in his later years on the Isle of Patmos. It begins with Jesus’ birth and tells His story through the resurrection.
Producer Roma Downey told Hannity that she prayed to tell the account truthfully. The crucifixion scene she said was especially challenging, spiritually, emotionally and physically.
Each day, Downey said, it was one man’s job to clear the area of snakes and scorpions. There may have been a few each day. On the “crucifixion day,” Downey said there was a bag that was writhing with over 40 snakes cleared from the foot of the cross.
“And you know, I think the symbolism of the snake wasn’t lost on any of us, and we couldn’t help but feel it was like a spiritual clearing had gone in ahead,” she said.
Hannity said the movie shows “snippets.” It doesn’t tell the whole story, but pulls it together.
“We didn’t want to tell people what to think or how to feel. We just wanted to present the story,” Burnette said.
In his comments, one of many from several commentators, Frank Shelton said, “This movie will make history because Mark and Roma have told HIS story.
“For years, scholars and skeptics have debated: Was Jesus man or is He God? If He wasn’t a man, then who was that baby born in Bethlehem’s barn?
“If He wasn’t God, why did ten thousand angels sing at his birth?
“If He wasn’t a man, then who was that hungered in the wilderness?
“If He wasn’t God, who fed five thousand with a little boy’s lunch?
“If He wasn’t a man, then who was that on the cross who cried, ‘I thirst’?
“If He wasn’t God, who told the woman at the well if you drink from me you will never thirst again.
“If He wasn’t a man, then who was the dead man who lay for three days in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb?
“But if He wasn’t God, why is that tomb still empty?
“We don’t serve a dead God but the Living Lord. Jesus Christ is not just good. Jesus the Christ alone is God.”
Some of the remarks did not air due to time constraints.
Shelton said, “When I finished, Sean said with cameras rolling, ‘Frank, you ever consider being a minister?’”