Working with Oscar-nominated documentarian Oren Jacoby, former Roman Catholic priest and anti-Vietnam War activist turned author James Carroll explores how Christianity has been transformed into a weapon of war as a propaganda tool. Colorado Springs is home to the U.S. Air Force Academy, which has for years been in the throes of an evangelical religious revival (a screening of the film The Passion of the Christ was an officially sanctioned event, and the academy has been a defendant in at least one lawsuit). Colorado Springs is also the home of Pastor Ted Haggard's New Life megachurch, which draws upward of 10,000 rapturous worshippers every Sunday. Haggard himself appears in this thoughtful documentary about Christianity's legacy of violence, xenophobia, and anti-Semitism, proudly announcing that he is one of the evangelicals who participate in a conference call with President George W. Bush every Monday morning (at least until Haggard's recent disgracing as a sexual hypocrite). Based on Carroll's 2001 doorstop of a book Constantine's Sword, this severely truncated adaptation finds Carroll leading viewers on a whirlwind tour of the intertwined histories of the Roman Empire, Europe, and the Catholic Church—mixed with his own relevant personal history—as he makes the argument that religion and military power have operated hand in hand for the last 1,600 years. While it only scratches the surface of a complex issue, and ultimately offers no answers, the film does raise serious questions about whether we've learned any lessons whatsoever from the past—distant or recent. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include an introduction by Gabriel Byrne (2 min.), an extended scene with author Elaine Pagels (10 min), a seven-minute outtake, a text director's statement, text bios, and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a thought-provoking documentary.] (M. Johanson)
Constantine's Sword
First Run, 96 min., not rated, DVD: $24.95, Sept. 16 Volume 23, Issue 5
Constantine's Sword
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