Media/Arts

Sept. 21, 2006

Film depicts King David’s role in salvation

By Rebecca Bostic
The Catholic Sun

Most people who get a vision of making a 10-part video series chronicling the history of salvation in the middle of the night would wake up in a sweat, roll over and fall asleep.

Not Steve Ray. When he awoke with this vision more than 10 years ago he decided to find a way to bring it to life.

And with the help of Ignatius Press — a Catholic publishing company — Ray, along with wife and partner Janet, recently completed “David and Solomon: Expanding the Kingdom.” The film is the sixth installment in the “Footprints of God: the Story of Salvation from Abraham to Augustine” series.

“David and Solomon are two huge links in the chain” of salvation, Ray, the producer and host of the video series, said. “David is a picture of Christ… you have David in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament. Jesus is like the new David.”

Ray explains the similarities between David, Solomon and Jesus Christ as he leads the viewers to various Holy Land sites related to the lives of David and his son, Solomon.

“David was misunderstood by his own people. His own people chased him out,” Ray said. “He had to hide in caves and never had a place to lay his head. Jesus is similarly rejected and He says He never had a place to lay His head.”

Ray believes that in the same way David had to fight to establish his kingdom, so too Jesus battled on Earth for His.

“Solomon on the other hand was given the kingdom… he was given peace and glory on the throne,” Ray said. “He represents Jesus after the resurrection. David represents Jesus the suffering Christ on Earth, Solomon represents the glorified Christ in Heaven.”

Ray’s arguments are convincing and easy to understand in the biographical travel journal on David and Solomon. The 90-minute film is packed with interesting information and breathtaking scenery of more than 10 different areas in the Holy Land.

Catholic apologetics, biblical and world history play prominently in the film, along with a splash of silliness from the reckless travel guide character Ray portrays. In “David and Solomon: Expanding the Kingdom,” Ray visits the site of David’s defeat of Goliath while swinging a loaded sling above his head. He rides donkeys, walks camels and pours oil over his head as he explains crucial pieces of salvation history. His antics allow the informative film to tap into the interest of the entire Catholic family — the Rays’ intended audience.

Joe Reynolds, owner of Skyline Productions in Mesa who has filmed most of “The Footprints of God” videos, attests that his own 5-year-old son will sit and watch the entire film.

“He will remember things like he was on a donkey in Jerusalem and he’s talking about Jesus, and that’s pretty amazing,” Reynolds said. “‘The Footprints of God’ series is thinking outside the box.”

Ray’s travel guide character is appropriately goofy for the younger age group the film aims to include in the audience. The weaving together of modern-day landscape shots and historical artwork depicting the scenes of the Bible that occurred thousands of years before — on the ground the camera is focusing upon — is achieved seamlessly.

“One of our goals is to show the real historical place today,” Ray said. “We say, ‘Can you believe 3,000 years ago this is where David lived, this is the foundation of his fortress? This is the real thing.’ Then we cut away to art.

“So we’re trying to show the real archeological site, but trying to make it come alive” for the viewers, Ray said.

The “David and Solomon: Expanding the Kingdom” DVD also includes an excerpt of Ray interviewing Cardinal Francis Arinze about the persona of David in the Old Testament.

Steve and Janet Ray have already begun production of the seventh film in the “Footprints of God” series on the apostolic fathers, an adventure that will take them beyond the Holy Land to France, Turkey and Rome. Ray also dreams of producing a future 10-part series called “The Footprints of the Faithful: The Story of the Church” following the completion of the current “Footprints” series.

Courtesy Skyline Productions, Inc.

Steve and Janet Ray, creators of “David and Solomon: Expanding the Kingdom,” review the film’s script while shooting on location in the Holy Land.

For more information on “The Footprints of God: the Story of Salvation from Abraham to Augustine,” visit the Web at www.catholicconvert.com, www.skylinevideo.com or www.Ignatius.com.