Steven Spielberg's acclaimed ani­mation of Moses, The Prince of Egypt, benefited from input of evangelical leaders like James Dobson, Billy Gra­ham, and others. While admitting "some artistic license," producers be­lieve the film is faithful to Scripture. Critics glory that it has "the most spectacular animation ever put on film," ¹ "artistry that adds a new dimension to scenes like the Burning Bush…" ² and that it is "aesthetically, morally, and even theologically a good movie."

Christian reviewers downplay or justify the film's inaccuracies. This "downside is compensated for by the beauty and power with which it pres­ents what the Bible does say. And the best part of the film is its unflinching portrayal of God;" ³  "Writers ... took artistic license where they needed to build a tighter, more compelling pic­ture..." ⁴ Reviewers say: "The awe-in­spiring desert vistas, the gargantuan Egyptian monuments, and landscapes that dwarf the tiny human beings cre­ate a sense of infinity that ... helps set a distinctly religious tone;" ⁵ "Those who worked on (it) recognized the sacred nature of the source material and re­sponded with awe." ⁶ he critics con­clude: "The Prince of Egypt ... may play a providential role in bringing a biblical worldview into the public imagination;"' "... the central tenets of our faith were treated as sacred;" "(Its) level of sophistication raises it ... to a satisfying and thought-provoking movie for adults." ⁷

Teachers have learned that Bible stories should be faithful to Scripture (Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18), God-centered, and Christ-centered, and must show the redemptive historical line from the Old to the New Testament. The book of Exodus shows how God triumphantly fulfilled his covenant promises to Abra­ham (Exodus 2:24; Hebrews 11:8-29) by free­ing his people from the house of bondage and destruction (Exodus 1:9, 10, 22; 6:1-8; 15:1-21), in order that ultimately Christ could come and sinners be saved. This called for a covenantal response of thankfulness, the rule for which was given at Sinai (Exodus 20:2). Though using Moses as his instrument, God mercifully worked this deliverance despite him (Exodus 2:11-14; 3:11-4:17; Acts 7:17-34) and despite the Israelites (Acts 7:35-43; Hebrews 3, 4). Similarly, while his and our enemies drown in their guilt before God, He also saves us, despite ourselves, by His abundant grace from the bondage of sin and Satan, and leads us through to a new life of  thankfulness, joy, and glory (Colossians 2:6-15; Hebrews 2:14-18; Lord's Day 19). Stories that claim to be faithful to Scrip­ture but are not, and that fail to bring out these perspectives, miss the mark.

It is only through his self-revelation that we fully know God. The Word must be studied first (Deuteronomy 6:1-9) and only then can illustrations and visual aids that are not burdened by secular connotations support it — as Dr. Van Dam has pointed out to teachers. ⁸ Rev. J. L. van Popta wrote  ⁹ that people dram­atize reality to entertain and to present a message. Actors perform well when they experience their character. In child-centered education, as well as in new hermeneutics, symbols, stories, and experience are more important than accuracy. New hermeneutics holds that we only receive God's reve­lation when we experience it, and ef­fectively denies Scripture as God's self-revelation. This dovetails in Bible drama, which adds to Scripture in word and action. Drama is always inaccurate; attacks the historical character of God's redemptive acts; is man-centered, not Christ-centered; purports that faith comes by experience rather than by hearing; depreciates the sacraments; and attacks the objective character and authority of the Word of God. Later, Rev. Van Popta concluded that Re­formed "Bible curriculum should be word and story-oriented, with image and music playing a secondary and an­cillary role ... We should not get the students to act out the Bible stories as if their experience will enhance the meaning. Nor should we use Bible story videos..." ¹⁰

The inaccuracies, additions, and deletions in The Prince of Egypt are too numerous for me to mention them all, but they underline the validity of con­cerns with Biblical films and drama. In the film, the basket holding Moses bobs through frightful dangers before Pharaoh's wife rescues it. Moses com­mits elaborate mischief with his "brother" Rameses. He frees a Midianite slave-girl, Tzippora, who later returns the favor by rescuing him out of a well, and marries him in a pagan feast. Moses pushes an abusive Egyptian slave-driver off a towering scaffold in full view of many workers, and does not bury him. People play God as they speak his Words and symbols suggest God's pres­ence. Moses meets Pharaoh Rameses with Tzippora and is apologetic to Pharaoh Rameses for betraying his friendship with his demand, "Let my (Moses') people go!" The consecration of the firstborn, the institution of the Passover, the perspective to Christ, and the covenant context are absent. The Song of Moses and Miriam is replaced by a New-Age-like song, "There can be miracles when you believe..." Rameses groans, "Moses ..." across the sea, and Moses replies, "Good-bye, my friend..."

Not surprisingly, as far as the mes­sage is concerned, the filmmakers tried to "kill that kind of preachy thing. That was something we worked very hard to do," said one co-director of the film. ¹¹ It is disappointing that Christian reviewers were blinded by the spec­tacular artistry of this film and gave it a recommendation it does not deserve. Should we be entertained by a film that adulterates the Truth?