Feb 27, 2007

Jesus' Tomb?

This Sunday, March 4 at 9:00 p.m. the Discovery Channel will air a program titled "The Lost Tomb of Jesus." It promises to look at ossuaries discovered in a tomb in Jerusalem that allegedly hold the family of Jesus and perhaps even Jesus himself.

Promotional material on the Discovery Channel site also includes sensational entries such as that the DNA extracted from the tombs, "throws light on Jesus' relationship with Mary Magdalene." It also promises to be controversial.

While I understand the need to not give the store away to get people to tune in, I feel that such a discovery, for most people, is enough of a motivation to tune in without trying to ride the coat tales of such hot button issues as Jesus' relationship with Mary Magdalene. It is unfortunate that writers underestimate the public's interest in Jesus and His family.

Of course there is plenty of mud slinging on both sides. For instance, while flipping through the channels last night, I caught a few shows talking about the special. One talking head accused the Discovery Channel of always placing their Jesus-as-man-not-God stories to air during the Lenten season. I don't think the people at Discovery are that diabolical. Rather, I think that the Lenten and Easter seasons are naturally a time for reflection on all topics related to Jesus. I think it's an easy sell in the programing room and I think they are right to air it during Lent.

Besides the claims alluded to in the programming note, however, I will be interested to see just what they have discovered, both from an archeaological standpoint and a theological one as well.