Paramount is releasing the movie “Noah” on March 28, 2014. There has been much discussion in the press and on the Internet about the merits of the movie.

Christianity Today has released an interview with Jerry A. Johnson, President and CEO of National Religious Broadcasters in which he evaluates the merits of the movie. The interview was conducted by Ed Stetze and published on his blog on February 28, 2014.

In this interview, Johnson presents five positive facts about Noah the movie. In another interview, he also presents five negative features about the movie. I recommend this interview to people who are planning to see the movie. I am planning to see the movie even though there are some issues with the movie that may not be completely accurate.

Below is a very short excerpt of Stetze’s interview with Jerry Johnson:

Noah knows its place among Bible films.

Director Darren Aronofsky is known for movies that have a maverick and mystic quality. Noah is no different. When contrasting Noah to The Bible on the History Channel, Paramount Pictures’ Vice Chairman Rob Moore said, “This movie has a lot more creativity to it. And therefore, if you want to put it on the spectrum, it probably is more accurate to say this movie is inspired by the story of Noah,” (The Hollywood Reporter, emphasis added). Note the careful language inspired by, not an actual retelling or exegetical representation of the biblical text. Noah is not The Passion of the Christ, The Ten Commandments or Son of God.

Noah follows the basic plotline of the biblical story.

Human beings have brought much evil on the earth, God judges through a flood, Noah’s family is saved from the destruction through the ark, and the human race begins again upon a renewed earth. It is nice to see the main lines of the biblical narrative portrayed dramatically.

Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

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