THE MOSAIC CHURCH

THE MOSAIC CHURCH is a documentary streaming on Angel Studios. In the region of Megiddo, Israel, a team of archaeologists uncover a rare slice of Roman-Christian history. They investigate a Christian “mosaic,” which may hold the key to answering some mysteries of the early Christian community during the Roman persecutions. Can the crew decipher its true significance? Bear Grylls of MAN VS WILD fame narrates the documentary.

THE MOSAIC CHURCH chronicles the 2024 excavation of a Christian “mosaic,” a church-sized floor tile found next to a current Israeli prison in Megiddo. The mosaic dates back to the second and third centuries, during the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. The archeologists dig up the mosaic, believing it’s the earliest record of public Christian worship. Moreover, the mosaic contains the earliest physical proclamation that “Jesus is God” apart from the biblical text. Some of the experts, however, disagree with this meaning. Can the researchers come to a true consensus?

The documentary follows a team of real-life researchers from various scientific fields. In between the excavation scenes, there are interviews featuring Catholic priests, Harvard professors, and other scholars giving their insight on the ancient mosaic. The movie discusses the mosaic’s shrouded history, how its pagan owners converted to Christianity, and the early friction between the followers of Jesus Christ and the Roman Empire. Along the way, the movie shows researchers using advanced modern technology to preserve the mosaic and other ancient documents.

THE MOSAIC CHURCH is a home run on the technical front. The cinematography is top notch, the audio mixing is superb, and the interview segments are well-presented. The best part is the “3D mosaics” scenes. On occasion, the filmmakers reconstruct the mosaic and its original environment using high resolution computer graphics. It is the movie’s most impressive part. However, it’s not as impressive as its Christian, moral content.

Unsurprisingly, THE MOSAIC CHURCH harbors a strong moral worldview. The archeologists consist of Christians, Jews and Muslims who work together to preserve ancient history. The crew handles the mosaic with utmost care and respect. The documentary interviews priests and scientists, all of whom value the mosaic’s historical and cultural significance to the Western world. Moreover, the filmmakers explore the mosaic’s contribution to early Christianity. They complement the perseverance and social cohesion of the early Christian Church. The filmmakers also posit that “Jesus is God.” Yet, the movie is not all sunshine and rainbows.

This documentary has a few questionable aspects. First, the movie briefly shows the inside of an infamous Israeli prison (which is located next to the mosaic dig site). There is no violence, but violence looms ominously in the background. Second, the filmmakers showcase old historical drawings of Roman soldiers persecuting Christian followers. These Christian men and women are shown being martyred in cold blood. These moments are brief but stick out.

Lastly, the filmmakers delve into the role of women in the early Roman Christian community. The mosaic lists the names of several Roman women, most of whom were presumably highly respected members in the community. These women engaged in active prayer and sought to convert their pagan husbands to Christianity. The movie is ultimately pro-woman, but viewers should be aware of this angle. Of course, it should be noted that Prisca, aka Priscilla, is mentioned first when the Book of Acts, in Chapter 18, details how she and her husband, Aquila, who both worked with Paul for more than a year before he parted from them, explained to the preacher Apollos, who only knew about John’s baptism of repentance, about the way of God through Jesus Christ more fully. Apollos became a powerful missionary and evangelist who “vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah” (Acts 18:27,28).

THE MOSAIC CHURCH is a tactful exploration of Christianity’s growing pains. The documentary is well shot and superbly edited. Moreover, it has strong moral values such as preserving ancient history, various experts working together seeking objective truth, and the ancient Roman citizens converting to Christianity. Moreover, the mosaic contains the earliest physical proclamation that “Jesus is God” apart from the biblical text. THE MOSAIC CHURCH has no on-screen violence, but it features historical drawings of Christians getting martyred. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises minor caution for younger children.