There is no shortage of online videos, books and websites claiming discoveries of special evidence proving the truth of Bible stories – from the current location of the Ark of the Covenant to the final resting place of Noah’s Ark. The tendency of these kinds of discussions to shade into fads and Christianised conspiracy theories is well known. But that does not mean, of course, that the subject matter with which they are concerned is not real and true, nor that it is not worth engaging with.
To this end, American investigative filmmaker Tim Mahoney and Thinking Man Films are doing us all a service in producing a growing collection of documentary films exploring the Book of Exodus from a scientific and historical point of view. Challenging the modern liberal consensus that the events of the exodus could not possibly have happened as described in Scripture (a consensus which has served to undermine the credibility of the Bible as a whole), Mahoney revisits the historical and archaeological record, seeking to let the facts speak for themselves.
Is there any evidence of the Hebrews’ sojourn in Egypt, for instance? Why do so many academics think that there isn’t? Where did the Israelites cross the Red Sea – and did it really split right down the middle? Did Moses really write the Torah?
Test Everything
Mahoney is not concerned with idle speculation but with diligent truth-seeking. His own position is one of enquiring faith – believing that the events described in Scripture did happen, which must mean that there is historical and archaeological evidence for them (even if it hasn’t been found yet). But he does not impose this position on those whom he interviews, gently encouraging them to speak their own minds and letting the viewer decide what is true. The result, from this reviewer’s perspective, is both encouraging and thought-provoking.
Mahoney’s stroke of genius is to populate his documentaries with interviews with a whole range of academics and experts – many of whom are non-believers or theological liberals who display varying degrees of scepticism about Scripture. This makes the films a challenging watch for the audience, who are encouraged not to take their own assumptions for granted, but to test everything and hold on to the good.
Challenging Mainstream Academia
The films are professionally put together with an American market in mind and include beautiful shots of various Middle Eastern locations. The first, ‘The Exodus’, was released in 2015 and concerns the Israelites’ time in Egypt and eventual departure. The 2019 sequel, ‘The Moses Controversy’, pursues the story further to ask who really wrote the first five books of the Bible. How could Moses have written the Torah if the concept of the alphabet was developed much later in history? Are the Bible’s accounts accurate and divinely-inspired, or just a collection of myths and fables?
The films are stand-alone but it is helpful to watch them in order. Mahoney’s gentle approach is endearing and although the films require considerable concentration, the end result is a faith-filled, academically credible series that will start conversations and appeal to thinking teens and adults.
Most importantly, they level a compelling challenge at mainstream academic theory (whether history, Egyptology, archaeology or theology) by showing that it is entirely possible to be both scientific and faithful at the same time. In other words, you don’t have to switch off your brain to believe in the Bible.
The films level a compelling challenge at mainstream academic theory by showing that it is entirely possible to be both scientific and faithful at the same time.
Missional Function
Mahoney’s interviews indirectly expose the destructive assumptions of unbelieving academics – including some whose own personal faiths have been devastated by their professional work. These assumptions and the theories they have spawned have seeped into theology colleges and thence into our churches, promoting the widespread derision of the Bible as an errant collection of folk tales that contain some moral truths but oughtn’t to be taken too literally.
Viewers will be encouraged that it is possible to take Scripture seriously as an accurate account of the history of God’s relationship with his chosen people. This is possibly the films’ most important contribution: the making of a convincing case for the plausibility of the Bible’s early accounts. If those could be true, then the rest of Scripture just might be true as well.
In that sense, the films have a missional function for open-minded sceptics and non-believers. For Christians who already believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, they are heartening and enjoyable documentaries that will refresh one’s faith. The next two chapters in the series, both concerned with the crossing of the Red Sea, are forthcoming in 2020. The journey continues!
‘Patterns of Evidence: Exodus’ (Thinking Man Films, 2015, 119 minutes) is available online from both Christian Friends of Israel and Answers in Genesis. Answers in Genesis also stock ‘Patterns of Evidence: The Moses Controversy’ (2019, 118 minutes). Both films are also available directly from the USA via Amazon.com.
For more information about the series, see the official website, https://patternsofevidence.com/. Both films are suitable for showing in group contexts, though stopping for one or more intermissions is advisable. No parental discretion necessary.
