The Secrets of the 12 Disciples
C4 Sun 23 March, 5.45pm
In this major investigation, theologian Robert Beckford travels across the globe – to Jerusalem, India, Greece, Spain, Italy and Turkey – to reassess the fate of the 12 disciples.
Agendas at work
Robert Beckford
Questioning generations-old traditions about the disciples, Robert Beckford sheds new light on claims that, over the last 2,000 years, the Church has manipulated their stories to suit its own purposes.
He looks into the latest theories and asks if Peter really did end up in Rome and, if not, what the implications are for the Catholic Church. This is a controversial issue with far-reaching ramifications, since Peter’s death in Rome constitutes the historical foundation of the authority of the Pope.
Robert Beckford also tries to find out if there is any truth in the story of Thomas, who, according to one tradition, founded Christianity in India in 52AD. Most western scholars dismiss this but archaeological digs in India show a trade with Rome and ancient Jewish settlements, indicating that the story could be true. In 1599, Portuguese colonists tried to destroy the traditions and practices of the Thomas Christians. Do the western Churches still have an interest in trying to marginalise them?
Beckford investigates the assertion that Judas was only labelled a betrayer because of a mistranslation of ancient Greek. He asks whether, in fact, he was more of a hero than a villain, and looks at who stood to gain and lose by demonising him.
Finally, he looks into the claim that women with important connections to Jesus have also been left off the list of disciples. As a result females were excluded from any positions of power within the Church for 2,000 years, and the struggle to redress this imbalance continues today.
