Tonight Revelations premiers on NBC, an Armageddon themed six hour spiritual thriller penned by Omen screenwriter David Seltzer. The series portrays the conflict between the army of the day and the army of the night. It culminates in what Tom Shales of the Washington Post calls the “showdown of showdowns, a High Noon between Christ and Satan - the ultimate Wrestlemania.”

Shales thinks a series based on “the last – and wackiest – book of the New Testament” should at least be entertaining, which he and several other critics do not think Revelations is.

tothesource has not seen the Revelations pilot and is in no way endorsing the content or execution of this project.

What interests tothesource is Hollywood trying to repackage itself as Holywood.

Sure, their motivation is mostly financial. Hollywood is, after all, a business. When Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ became one of the top grossing films of all-time last year, it shocked even the most cynical studio head.

Faithful tothesource readers know that tothesource is always on the cultural prowl, looking for ways to encourage making room for faith not only in our private lives but also in our public space.

So when Hollywood, an industry that has ridiculed all things religious for decades, sticks its secular little toe into the ocean of religious experience, regardless of how adolescent or off-putting, we think it is worth noting.

Revelations
A determined nun teams up with a grieving astrophysicist to explore whether Earth is approaching "the end of days" in Revelations, a six-part limited series premiering at 9 p.m. Wednesday on NBC

Millions
The UK decides to convert to the Euro in seven days. It's the biggest opportunity the criminal world has ever had. When a railway heist goes wrong and an enormous bag of money falls from the sky into the hands of Damian and Anthony, there's only one thing to do--spend it like there's no tomorrow.

The Da Vinci Code
Actor Tom Hanks and director Ron Howard are reuniting for The Da Vinci Code, an adaptation of the international best-selling novel by Dan Brown. Distributor Sony Pictures said production will begin next year, with a planned release in May 2006. Hanks will play Robert Langdon, who is trying to solve the murder of a member of an ancient society that has protected dark secrets for centuries.

Book of Daniel
"In Book of Daniel, for example, actor Aidan Quinn plays a pill-popping Episcopal priest who has the ability to talk about his drug addiction with a hip, modern-day Jesus. The show is still a work in progress, but for now Mr. Quinn's character also is dealing with a daughter arrested for selling marijuana, a brother-in-law who embezzles money from the church and is found murdered, and a gay son."

Briar & Graves
Fox's Briar & Graves is the story of a hard-drinking, gun-toting excommunicated priest who has sworn to battle evil in the name of God. Along the way, he teams up with a neurologist who is in the process of examining her own beliefs. Described as being a cross between The X-Files and The Exorcist.

Joan of Arcadia
A series about a family recovering from a tragedy and how it affects their spiritual lives, and this girl who is a modern day Joan of Arc, who hears from God in a time when that's the most unacceptable thing, when it can be used in court as evidence of insanity.

Diary of a Mad Black Woman
Diary of a Mad Black Woman is an adaptation of playwright Tyler Perry's widely successful stage play of the same name. Perry also appears in the movie, playing three characters: Brian, Helen's cousin and attorney; Madea, a much-beloved grandmother-type who appears in many of his works; and Joe, Madea's lecherous brother. Although some critics have derisively labeled his work "chitlin' circuit" theater, Perry counters that his plays bridge the gap between traditional theater and less-respected forms. But whether or not his plays enjoy critical acclaim, they've clearly enjoyed popular success. (Charles and Helen's movie home is actually the mansion of the once-homeless Perry.)

Seventeen's "Faith" Section Opens the Door for Religious Expression

Seventeen's readers now have the opportunity to share their own opinions on certain religious topics, read inspirational quotes, and tell personal stores of spiritual struggles. An immediate favorite among Seventeen magazine's 14-million readers, this section has a serious tone, discussing real-life issues openly.

The person behind it all is Seventeen magazine's editor-in-chief, Atoosa Rubenstein. Raised Muslim, she began the faith section not to spread a religious message, but provide an opportunity to discuss issues important to teenage girls, noticing that "more and more of our readers were talking about their faith."

Laurie Whaley, who works for the division of publishers that created Revolve (a top-selling Bible for girls that looks like a fashion magazine) was impressed that Seventeen was addressing religion in any form. She predicted it would attract readers. "The teen culture today, they're very, very much about faith," Whaley said.

Experts on religion and youth trends agree. Teenage Research Unlimited found that 58% of teens rank faith as among the most important parts of their life.

Revelations -- Making it Right When TV Gets it Wrong by Marc T. Newman

"Anyone who looks to the Bible quickly recognizes that there is no loss of drama, no lack of intensity. Shows like Revelations give Christians a chance to speak about how to know the truth, and the inevitable coming of Judgment -- including the judgment that occurs at death for everyone even if the Lord tarries. There really is a spiritual war going on and Christians can explain the need to choose sides -- the Scriptures note that humans are not really completely free -- people will be obedient to God or to sin; there is no other way.

The Second Coming of Christ is a doctrine of the Church. Christians should not allow mini-series makers to usurp the Church's prerogative to explain it. If the television explanation of eschatology in Revelations is lacking, then Christians can and should use it as an open door for correction. Even bad TV can be put to good purposes. But in order to do so, Christians will have to mute the shock and indignation, open their Bibles, and patiently teach."

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