Stephen's Test of Faith

After presenting a solid oral report on his grandfather and the Bible he carried into war, young Stephen is harassed ("nice job, Bible boy") and pushed around by his classmates. Embarrassed and fearful, Stephen plays down his Christianity and, in anger, runs home without his grandfather's Bible. Sensing Stephen's moodiness at the dinner table, his father has a long talk with him before bedtime, reminding Stephen that his namesake was the first Christian martyr, a man who was persecuted and stoned for his faith. Asleep, Stephen dreams of the stoning of the earliest Christian martyr (played by Chip Arnold, the star of The Word Made Flesh series [VL-5/98]), whom he later meets in heaven, where the pair disembark for a trip through martyrdom. In re-enacted scenes, young Stephen witnesses the throwing of the Christians to the lions in the Roman Coliseum, the burning at the stake of Bible translator William Tyndale, and contemporary scenes of persecution in Russia and Pakistan. Upon waking, Stephen's faith is renewed and he later retrieves his prized Bible. While the message is strong and the production values are impeccable, the constant reiteration of the fact that the faithful are more than willing to die for their beliefs seemed a little heavy for a program aimed at young people (the producer's website, listed in the credits, has the less than cheery address of www.persecution.com). The important role that unswerving faith has played in keeping Christianity alive through the centuries might have been conveyed in a slightly less ominous way. An optional purchase. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)