Filmmaker, intellectual property law attorney, law professor
Years active
2007–present
Spouse
Julie Davison Larson
Frederick Anthony Heep "Rick" Larson (born March 26, 1953) is an American
lawyer and law professor[4] who became a filmmaker after he investigated the
Star of Bethlehem and became a traveling speaker on the topic, then made his first documentary film
The Star of Bethlehem about his findings in 2007.[5] In March 2019 Larson released his second film, the documentary The Christ Quake, which had been in production since 2013.
Larson became intrigued with the Star after reading astronomer
Craig Chester's article,[11] based in part on the work of Ernest Martin[12] about the Bethlehem Star being a possible actual event.[13] Chester, a co-founder of the
Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy, thought the planetary conjunctions of 2 BC were a more plausible explanation for what the
Magi would have seen than events found in earlier dates.[14] Larson thinks astronomical events in 3-2 BC fit the evidence found in the Bible.[1] He also believes
King Herod the Great died in 1
BC, although others, including astronomer David Hughes and astronomer Mike Molnar, believe Herod died in 4 BC.[15]
Larson examined the biblical account in the
Gospel of Matthew,
chapter 2[16] and located nine qualities of Bethlehem's Star:[10][17] It signified birth, it signified kingship, it was related to the Jewish nation, and it rose "in the East";[18] furthermore, King Herod had not been aware of it;[19] it appeared at an exact time;[20] it endured over time;[21] and, according to the book of Matthew,[22] it was before the Magi as they traveled south from
Jerusalem to
Bethlehem, then it stopped over Bethlehem.[23]
After he investigated the Star of Bethlehem, Larson began work on a second film, The Christ Quake, focused on uncovering physical evidence of the earthquake the Bible says took place when Christ died on the cross.[27] It is based on the book of Matthew 27:51, which says, "and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent".[28] On May 21, 2019, the DVD was released in English and in Spanish.[29] In addition to appearing in the documentary, Larson was its screenwriter and executive producer.[30]
God of Heaven and Earth
A November 5, 2023 theater film release with a documentary exposition of the Bethlehem star story and earthquake at Christ's crucifixion story. Larson's presentation was accompanied by astronomical and geological evidence with interviews of experts in both fields.[31]
[6] He founded the STAR project, a nonprofit organization that promotes unity among Christians of many denominations.[33] On July 28, 2016, Julie Davison Larson posted a message from Rick Larson in which he said he was married to her, that she was composing the music for every instrument of the orchestra for The Christ Quake film, and added, "I'm the one that cooks dinner when she is scoring."[34]
^Chester, Craig. "The Star of Bethlehem".Imprimis. Reprinted December 1996 with editorial changes. 25(12). PDF; scroll to December 1996 and click. Originally printed 1993. Retrieved December 19, 2015.