Two thousand years ago, in the Roman province of Judea, Jesus was crucified by imperial troops. Thousands before him had suffered the same fate. But unlike his predecessors on the cross, Jesus did not disappear from history. Instead, his memory was kept alive by a small band of Jews - men and women who held fast to their conviction that Jesus was the Messiah. These early Christians faced powerful obstacles. The might of the Roman Empire and the dangerous politics of ancient Jerusalem lay a heavy burden on those who believed in Jesus. But the new faith would not die. In a brief span of time, this new religion would transcend its origins in the provinces of Rome and absorb the capital of the Empire itself. With the words of Paul and other ancient writers, interviews with contemporary scholars, and dramatic re-enactments , Peter and Paul and the Christian Revolution explores how two men weathered crippling disagreements and political persecution to lead one of history's most astonishing religious movements. Episode 1 @ The Rock and the RiverWith their Messiah executed and their cause deemed subversive by the Roman Empire, the followers of Jesus face a bleak future. However, an explosive moment of hope saves the movement from extinction. On the shores of the Sea of Galilee, Simon, Peter and others envision the risen Jesus. The sighting convinces them that Jesus has not been beaten. Re-infused with hope and determination, Peter becomes an indomitable figure, uniting the group into a tight community of ardent believers. Persecution, imprisonment, and dispersal follow, but support arrives from an unexpected source. A fervent Jew and a former persecutor of Jerusalem's Jesus community, Paul has a startling revelation that leads him to embrace Peter's faith as his own. Educated, passionate and determined, Paul is also dogmatic. For the fledgling religion, it is a turning point, as Paul uses his formidable talents to spread his new beliefs around the Roman Empire. Episode 2