'Raiders of the Lost Ark' Actor John Rhys-Davies on Rediscovering Life's Most Influential Figure in 'The Christ'

John Rhys-Davies. Photo image courtesy Louisa Spring Management Agency.
Just in time for Holy Week, The Christ, a new four-episode podcast series premieres on March 30th, with new episodes releasing daily through April 2nd. It is available for free wherever you get your podcasts.

The series, produced by the Faith Podcast Network, explores the life, identity, and enduring impact of Jesus Christ in a fresh, thought-provoking way. Through meaningful storytelling and historical insight, this series invites listeners to look beyond familiar narratives and engage with the deeper questions of faith, purpose, and truth.

Starring Tom Pelphrey (Jesus), David Oyelwo (Pontius Pilate), Paul Walter Hauser (John the Baptist), Patricia Heaton (host), and John Rhys-Davies (narrator), The Christ is a lush audio dramatization filled with cinematic soundscapes, an uplifting musical score, and a life-changing theological focus on the greatest story ever told.

Whether you’re curious, skeptical, or deeply rooted in faith, The Christ offers a space to reflect, learn about, and rediscover history’s most influential figure.

I recently sat down with the venerable Rhys-Davies, best known for his longstanding roles in the Raiders of the Lost Ark and Lord of the Rings movie series, to discuss whether the hardest of hearts can find redemption through Jesus, and a few valuable life lessons people can learn by listening to this podcast series.

There are numerous productions that are based on the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, many of which are released during Easter week. What sets The Christ podcast apart from the others?

This is a great story. It comes from a great script. Its implications have changed the world. It’s still changing the world, and it may resonate with you on an emotional level and perhaps even in a spiritual way. It doesn't answer all the questions. Nothing answers all the questions, but it gives you some indication of it. It is a light in the dark. It can lead you into a life of hope. And you will be hard pressed to find precepts that are better. Plato says that the unconsidered life is not worth living. What does he mean by that? I think he means that in the actual business of living, we should be looking at it. We should be asking ourselves, why is this right? In other words, what impact am I having positively or, or adversely if I pursue this story? And as you know, as a workshop manual for living, the Bible is pretty darn useful.

What I love about this story is that it brings out the very best of humanity in regard to love, power, and grace. Do you believe that even the hardest of hearts can find redemption in their lives through the story of Jesus?

They wouldn't look at it if they've got the hardest of hearts, would they? If somebody is truly deaf, you cannot tell them a story. And there are those who are unwilling to listen to any other story. The liberal tradition of thought is we are prepared to listen to all accounts, all arguments, and judge them intellectually as to their merit and engage in people to explain rationally why their proposition is so or not. T.S. Eliot has that wonderful phrase for those who engage in the common pursuit of true judgment. I love that. I fell in love with it when I was a schoolboy. I think of it every day, and I see how completely I've failed to engage that precept in my actual life at any time. The seed cannot grow on fallow land, can it?

In working on this project, what is one thing you learned about Jesus that perhaps you never realized before? Something that perhaps opened your eyes to some new concept or character trait.

You ask the hard questions, don't you? <laughs> You get the sense that He's not quite one of us because He isn't one of us.

What He's saying is fresh and extraordinary and offers a way out of conflict, subordination, and animosity in the most extraordinary way. How can you bless people that curse you, pray for those that despitefully use you? This is completely alien to our conduct. And yet, if you think about it, a soft anger turns aside wrath.

His (Jesus) interaction with life is warm, passionate, friendly, and filled with laughter. But of course, He's also a man of sorrows and acquainted with tears.

What are some valuable life lessons that one can learn from listening to this podcast?

Well, I suppose not upsetting the Romans would be a life lesson. <laughs> That's such a difficult question. You will not get life lessons from a podcast. What you will get is a story that is the words of a most extraordinary man.

As you get from the Letters of Paul, this is the outline. This is the story you want to read more and gain a full understanding of.

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'The Christ' will release four episodes during Holy Week, beginning with Episode 1 on March 30th, with one new episode released each day through April 2nd.

WATCH A TRAILER FOR THE CHRIST PODCAST SERIES: