Thinking 'Inside' the Box: Tombs, Ossuaries, Inscriptions,
and the 'Family' of Jesus
Professor Rebecca Denova
Department of Religious Studies
2 P.M.
Friday, April 6, 2007
NOTE: THIS LECTURE IN THE KURTZMAN ROOM
On March 4, the Discovery Channel premiered a documentary that sent shock
waves through most of the Christian world. Simcha Jacobovici, along with
producer James Cameron, revealed that they had "re-discovered" the family
tomb of Jesus, and demonstrated scientific evidence to support their claim.
"Re-discovered" here refers to the fact that the tomb and its contents have
long been known to scholars in the field, where very different conclusions
have been offered.
Dr. Rebecca Denova, Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Religious
Studies, will discuss the details of the Talpiot tomb, the different
opinions of archaeologists and New Testament scholars, and an overview of
the Christian belief in "bodily" resurrection. What does this discovery
mean for the faithful, and what can we learn about the first Christian
generation to follow Jesus, when it comes to ideas concerning the "body?"
Is it possible that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, fathered a son,
and that the whole "family" has been resting in a tomb in southern
Jerusalem for two thousand years?
