A recent survey found that only 12 per cent of adults could answer four simple questions about the Christmas story, while a quarter of Church of England clergy have admitted that they don't believe in the virgin birth.
Many believers, including theologian Robert Beckford, find parts of the Nativity story perplexing: who were Mary and Joseph, how was Jesus born to a virgin, why was he in a manger, and what were shepherds and 'wise men' doing there?
Now Beckford embarks on a quest to uncover the real meaning of the Christmas story for himself. He wants to find what historical evidence there really is for the story, and understand the true significance of key elements that we all know, but few really grasp.
It's a dramatic journey that takes him to Israel, Egypt, Ethiopia and Brazil to re-trace the lives of the key figures in the Christmas story and understand how it would have been received by its earliest audiences.
On TV
First Shown
| Date | Time | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 25 December 2008 | 7.30PM | Channel 4 |
Last Shown
| Date | Time | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 25 December 2008 | 7.30PM | Channel 4 |
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