LETTER TO STANSFIELD TURNER FROM JIM WRIGHT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP05T00644R000401130068-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 24, 2009
• Sequence Number: 68
• Publication Date: October 11, 1979
• Content Type: LETTER

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79-274
DATE RECEIVED: 17 O.j ber 1979 DATE r- EVENT:Sunday, 18 Nov 79
1. INFORMATION REGARDING THE INVITATION:
SUSPENSE: 23 October 1979
Letter from The Hon.
Jim Wright
b. Type of Event: Film presentation of work of Genesis Project
c. Special Occasion: Launch nationwide observance of National Bible Week
d. Hosted By: Laymen's National Bible Committee
e. Date/Time: 2020 hours, Sunday, 18 November 1979
f. Location: JFK Center
g. Attire:
h. Significant Info:
2. SCHEDULE:
3. RECOMMENDATIONS:
Accept Re r
4. DCI DECISION: (MRS. TURNER INVITE - Yes No)
/W - Z~~~enl"
b. PASS TO: DDCI D/DCI/IC D/DCI/NI
5. AIDE FINAL ACTION:
din~a,c /Lei, j dl.
6. INFORMATION ROUTING:
a. COMMENTS:
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STAT
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JIM WRIGHT
TExws
MAJORITY LEADER
(lIongreBB of the Uniteb'tateB
1liouse of Representatiues
Q fire of the MajoritV Ceder
llasllingtnn. B.(II. 20515
October 11, 1979
On November 18, 1979, more than a decade of planning and effort will
culminate with the Gala Presentation of the work of the Genesis Project-
the translation of the Holy Bible to the motion picture screen. This film
event which will include excerpts from the New Media Bible Book of
Genesis, as well as the entire film, "JESUS", will be used to launch the
nationwide observance of National Bible Week. And it will be part of an
epic undertaking that Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen has hailed as the most
important event for the Bible since Gutenberg's invention of printing.
In a few days you will be one of a number of selected leaders from through-
out the nation who will receive an invitation to attend this presentation.
The showing will be in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing
Arts in Washington, D.C., at 8:20 p.m. on Sunday, November 18, 1979.
Due to limited seating, I encourage you to reserve this date and time now,
if your schedule will permit you to be with us.
In any event, I trust that we can count on your prayerful support of a work
of momentous undertaking-as well as your leadership throughout Amer-
ica in encouraging your family and friends to attend this epic film when
it is shown in your community.
FiZ C t V6 Regi 1iy
Jim Wright
Majority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION
NATIONAL BIBLE WEEK-1979..... .
The Laymen's National Bible Committee has announced the Washington presentation of the work of the Genesis Project at
the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, November 18, to celebrate the beginning of the 39th annual
interfaith National Bible Week. The Genesis Project - an interfaith, international endeavor to translate the Scriptures into motion
pictures - will illustrate its work at the Kennedy Center event through a presentation of a portion of the New Media Bible from
the Book of Genesis and the film JESUS in its entirety.
Filmed entirely on location in Israel, JESUS is based on the Gospel of Luke, with neither subplots, nor invented doctrinal inter-
pretation. John Heyman, creative director of the New Media Bible and producer of JESUS, has filmed the Gospel story as a
faithful reproduction of the Book of Luke, the most complete account of the life of Christ. Church leaders across the religious
spectrum applaud the one-hour and fifty-five minute feature film for its authenticity, accuracy and moving portrayal of the life
of Christ.
Thomas A. Murphy, Chairman of General Motors, has announced that this event will officially open this year's observance
of National Bible Week, of which he is the 1979 Chairman. Sponsored by the Laymen's National Bible Committee, Inc., in
cooperation with the major religious bodies and Bible societies, National Bible Week has become a highlight of the religious
calendar in churches and synagogues throughout the United States. President Carter's endorsement of National Bible Week
1978 through Alec McCowen's interpretation of St. Mark's Gospel at the White House gave a new dimension to the obser-
vance. This screening of the work of the Genesis Project will provide added impetus to the growing importance of Bible Week
and the resurgence of interest in the study of the Scriptures.
The November 18 event at the Kennedy Center will be preceded by release of the film JESUS in the West and Midwest on Oct-
ober 19 by Warner Brothers, in cooperation with Inspirational Film Distributors, Inc., a subsidiary of the Genesis Project,
producer of the New Media Bible, and followed by the immediate release of the 2nd Annual Edition of the New Media Bible.
During an anticipated event just prior to the Kennedy Center presentation, Thomas Murphy will present to President Carter for
the White House library, the volumes of the New Media Bible completed thus far-Genesis and Luke. This monumental under-
taking of the Genesis Project to translate the Bible into the "language" of film will be underway for more than a decade. A
segment of the New Media Bible, "Joseph and His Brothers," will be screened as a prelude to JESUS at the Kennedy Center.
THE GENESIS PROJECT AND THE NEW MEDIA BIBLE..... .
The Genesis Project is an international fellowship of Biblical scholars, historians, archaeologists, educators and creative artists
who have joined together in a vast undertaking to translate the Bible into the "language" of film. This visual version of the Scrip-
tures, known as the New Media Bible, reproduces faithfully the actual text and, as nearly as possible, the context of each
passage portrayed. Poetic license and theological interpretation are scrupulously avoided to insure that the Bible itself, rather
than any interpretation of it, is projected to the viewer. The New Media Bible is widely acclaimed by religious leaders as a
unique educational resource for transmitting the ethics and faith of the Scriptures in an age dominated by the visual media.
Conceived by a group of men who first met about a decade ago, and energized by John Heyman, world-renowned motion pic-
ture producer, the National Media Bible seems destined to set the standard for non-print media Bibles for a century. Archbishop
Fulton J. Sheen has written: "The National Media Bible puts the Scriptures in color, motion and speech and is the geatest event
in that domain since Gutenberg printed the Bible." Twenty volumes, consisting of the first 36 chapters of Genesis and the first
eleven chapters of Luke, are now completed. Each volume contains:
a. A 15-20 minute sound and color film in choice of King James, Revised Standard, New American, Hebrew and
Spanish Populare texts;
b. Two sound and color film strips providing commentary, illustration and Historical background;
c. Leaders' guides and projectionists' scripts to insure maximum utilization of the NMB for educational purposes; and
d. "Bible Times," a news magazine format publication for students of the Bible.
The New Media Bible began to become a reality when two groups-one American, one British-based-learned that they were
pursuing parallel courses on adjacent tracks. John Heyman and Chaim Topol were inspired by David Ben-Gurion to produce
an audio-visual encyclopedia of the Bible to help underwrite the fulfillment of his vision for an International Institute of Biblical
Research in Jerusalem. Michael Manuel and Dean Gitter in New York were convinced that the time was right for the translation
of the Scriptures from print to film and had a pilot project at hand. These met and merged in 1974 and the Genesis Project was
born.
The inherent difficulties of introducing even this most remarkable resource for religious instruction to congregations and
institutions unaccustomed to budgets which provide for the best in biblical educational materials have challenged the imagin-
ations of those who have invested some eleven million dollars in the venture. Timeless in its value, the New Media Bible will be
a source of education, inspiration and shaping of moral values throughout the world for years to come.
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INVITATION COMMITTEE
One of the ironies of modern history is that while
we have the electronic technology to transmit pictures
to earth through millions of miles of deep space, we have
been slow to use this capacity to communicate God's
Word to a world greatly in need of moral and spiritual
guidance.
While millions of youngsters grow up with little know-
ledge of the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the
Mount and the priceless wisdom of the Bible, and while
these children, our most important resource, are con-
stantly exposed to secular images and sounds, we have
made little effort to use the means of modern communi-
cation to teach them those eternal truths that are the
hope of mankind.
For this reason, the Genesis Project has undertaken
the momentous project of translating the entire Bible to
film in the major languages of the world. Archbishop
Fulton J. Sheen has said that this project can influence
the thoughts and actions of more people than "...any
event. . .since Gutenberg printed the Bible."
This New Media Bible, the product of an interreligious
effort by scholars of every faith and denomination, now
comes to the people of our time with an authenticity
never before achieved on film. You are invited to be part
of a great moment in history as the creativity of man
attempts to capture the essence of Biblical thought and
action.
The Honorable James C. Wright, Jr., Chairman
The Honorable Berkley W. Bedell
Dr. Landrum R. Bolling
The Honorable Don L. Bonker
The Honorable Jack T. Brinkley
The Honorable Clarence J. Brown
The Honorable John H. Buchanan, Jr.
Dr. Arthur F. Burns
The Honorable Lawton Chiles
The Honorable Shirley Chisholm
The Honorable Dennis DeConcini
The Honorable Edwin J. (Jake) Garn
The Honorable Mark O. Hatfield
Miss Helen Hayes
The Rev. Dr. Theodore M. Hesburgh
The Honorable Marjorie S. Holt
The Honorable Harold E. Hughes
Mr. Bruce K. MacLaury
Mr. J. Willard Marriott, Jr.
Dr. Benjamin E. Mays
Mr. Thomas A. Murphy
Dr. Nathan Pusey
The Honorable Richard T. Schulze
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Rabbi Marc H. Tanenbaum
The Honorable Lester L. Wolff
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