In the Footsteps of St. Peter

Watching the BBC documentary In the Footsteps of St. Peter, it’s hard to tell if host David Suchet is himself a Christian—and that’s a good thing. A host who hides his perspective not only saves himself from defending his position, he ironically wins the respect of both faithful and faithless, which Suchet and the documentary do in this case.

In the two-hour series, which follows the life of the headstrong apostle credited with founding today’s church, Suchet (best known to mystery lovers as Hercule Poirot) takes us through several of Peter’s high points. We see the rubbly remains of first-century Jewish homes in Peter’s old neighborhood. We go fishing on an ancient boat in the Sea of Galilee. We stand in the surprisingly tiny courtyard where the disciple denied knowing Jesus.

All this may sound like something you’d catch on a travel channel, but the series lends more gravitas and humanity than you’d expect. When we peek into the stony caverns in Caesarea Phillipi where Jesus told the apostle, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18), Suchet beckons us to imagine the ancient scene. Did Jesus point at Peter, implying that he was the rock? Was he referring to the nearby stony mounts where pagans kept their idols? Suchet himself pauses to reflect on this bit of theology.

The documentary doesn’t lose its focus on Peter, and Suchet gets kudos here for masterfully steering the show. He becomes your cheeky museum guide, your Bible historian, and your thoughtful friend. As he talks to scholars on debatable aspects of Peter’s life, he plays the inquisitive student too, never questioning the answers, just smiling and taking note.

This last point is important, as the documentary does not intend to convert anyone or refute anything. It assumes you have never read the Bible and never visited Israel. Still, even learned believers will find intriguing the tidbits from the scholars and the sometimes breathtaking visuals of Peter’s stomping grounds.