Volunteer Moderator notes: This material was moved from another area and continues to be updated here.
Review of:
Testament: The Bible in Animation Videos
1996, BBC
Overall rating: Thumbs up (for some in the series!)
Now available on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/result...e+bible+in+animation
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Posted on 7/11/12 by Neil MacQueen
This series was produced and shown in the Wales/UK. Pretty high end look and very interesting. Won some Emmys. In reply to Julie's comment below about Elijah's demonic look... his hair is wild, and I kindof like it. Elijah was described as being "zealous for the Lord" -and that's something I can be playful with in the lesson (maybe passing around some hair gel prior to the video). 
Posted on 7/3/01 by Julie Burton
If you're talking about the one that HBO aired a few years ago, they were hit & miss. I liked the claymation stories, but the animation stories didn't do much for me.
In the story of Elijah he looks more like a demon than a man of God! Check and see if your resource center has them or local churches and definitely preview them first!
Posted on 5/18/02 by Barb Swihart
"Testament. Bible in Animation" is absolutely the best series I have seen on individual people of the Bible. We buy any that fit our topics for the year. I wish there were more.
Posted on 5/22/02 by Jan Napa 
Just previewed "Ruth" in this "Testament" series. Liked the claymation, but a few parts of the story seemed too "heavy/dark" for younger kids. I'd show it to older kids though. Since this is the only video in this series I've seen, I'd definitely preview them and decide on a case by case basis.
Editor's note: You can see many of these video on YouTube.
9/24/16 Luanne adds: I love this clay animation video! What I especially loved was that it includes Ruth 4:7-9 where Boaz seals the redemption deal with the closer kinsman for Ruth at the City Gates (a contract is sealed by a man's removal of his shoe and giving it to another.) The heavy/dark parts that Jan refers to above is surrounding the death of Naomi's husband and two sons (they are in a cave with the three coffins saying their farewells prior to Naomi leaving). I've had no problems showing it to children 4 and up, but we always have a discussion before the film. But, you know your children best, and if it's a concern for any of them I'd simply forward through any scene(s) that you are concerned about.
Moderator moved here from the Help Forum.
i've been looking for DVD resources for Noah's Ark and Creation for a couple of years. I know that the Testament DVD series is well respected, and our church has used their Jonah DVD in the past.
Well, I purchased the "Creation & the Flood" DVD (Testament Series) recently.
Review: The story of Noah is well done. Intertwined with Noah's story is a retelling of Creation and the story of Adam & Eve. It is also compelling. The only problem, there are a couple of scenes where Eve's bare breasts are depicted. Has anyone else viewed this DVD? Has anyone felt comfortable using it in a Rotation Sunday School setting? If so, how was it received? If not, why not? The Noah story is a faithful retelling of the biblical narrative. I'd so like to use it in our church, but Eve's depiction is taboo. I'm looking for guidance from fellow Christian educators on what to do.
What a terrible, unnecessary decision by the editors of this DVD! But yelling at them doesn't help you now.
There's a very good statement here about nudity in an Art Workshop by Amy Crane. (I'm copying the statement below because you have to scroll down to find the relevant paragraph.) The workshop uses frescoes from the Sistine Chapel -- difficult to paint fig leaves over retrospectively.
Say, “Before we look at and talk about the art, I want to remind you that people were not created with clothes on. Nudity is sometimes needed in art and can be beautiful. God created man and woman in His image, and the human body is beautiful and can do marvelous things and there is nothing unlovely or evil or silly about our bodies. I will not tolerate snickering, laughing, or jokes. Anyone who does so will show that they really don't understand the Creation story and the artwork. If it becomes a problem, I will ask that person to leave the workshop. Understand?”
However, I think Neil's solution is simpler and displaying Michelangelo's nudity seems considerably different from nudity in an animated DVD.
Anne
EPISODE GUIDE
I cribbed the following Episode Table from the Wikipedia about the Testament series:
| No. | Title | Animation type | Book(s) | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Creation and the Flood" | Cel animation and Paint on glass | Genesis | October 16, 1996 |
| As his ark crosses the drowned Earth, Noah tells his family the story of Adam and Eve, the fall of Lucifer, and the banishment from Eden. | ||||
| 2 | "Abraham" | Stop motion | Genesis | October 23, 1996 |
| When God told Abraham that he and his wife Sarah would have a son, Abraham was astounded, for Sarah was long past child bearing age, but God assigned to Abraham the honour of being the "Father of Many Nations." Overjoyed at the birth of his son Isaac, Abraham was horrified by the next command from God, to offer his son as a sacrifice to Him. | ||||
| 3 | "Joseph" | Stop motion | Genesis | October 30, 1996 |
| Sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, Joseph uses his skills to interpret dreams and becomes seated at the right hand of the Pharaoh himself. | ||||
| 4 | "Moses" | Cel animation | Exodus | November 6, 1996 |
| Fleeing after murdering an Egyptian overseer, the Hebrew Moses settles in the land of Midian. But one day he is visited by God who instructs him to return to Egypt and, with the help of his brother Aaron and ten devastating plagues, free the Israelites from the iron gripof the Pharaoh Merneptah. | ||||
| 5 | "Ruth" | Stop motion | Ruth | November 13, 1996 |
| This is the story of a woman whose name has becomes synonymous with love and fidelity. In a moving tale, Ruth follows her mother-in-law Naomi back to Naomi's native Bethlehem after the sad death of both women's husbands. Working hard in the fields to feed herself and Naomi, Ruth finds her feeling for her kinsman Boaz run deeper than gratitude for his help with the work. Prepared to marry for Naomi's sake, Ruth's loyalty touches Boaz and he decides to challenge the claim of a closer relative for Ruth's hand. | ||||
| 6 | "David and Saul" | Cel animation | 1 Samuel | November 20, 1996 |
| Tormented by demons, King Saul sends for a musician, David to calm his mind, little knowing the young man will one day be his greatest general - and his greatest enemy. | ||||
| 7 | "Elijah" | Cel animation | 1 Kings | November 27, 1996 |
| Elijah, the one prophet of The Lord God, sets out to save Israel from the corrupt King Ahab and his evil Queen Jezabel. | ||||
| 8 | "Daniel" | Oil painting | Daniel | December 4, 1996 |
| Political intrigue and unwavering faith are the cornerstones of the story of Daniel, held captive for many years under the Babylonian Kings. Much loved and respected by the conqueror, King Darius, who appointed him governor, Daniel provoked great jealousy among the court advisers. Divine love and human resolver enter the lions' den together, emerging victorious. | ||||
| 9 | "Jonah" | Oil painting | Jonah | December 11, 1996 |
| The prophet Jonah rejects God's call to go to Nineveh, but divine intervention, and a great fish brings him to the evil city which he warns will be destroyed in forty days. | ||||
