As crazy, fringe, and sensational . . . like finding the Ark of the Covenant
or proving the Shroud of Turin is authentic
Michael Posner, in The Times of Israel, tells us that Filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici sues academic for libel
A fascinating $1-million libel trial is playing out in a Lod courtroom, one that many archaeologists, scientists and religious scholars are watching closely. The plaintiff is Israeli/Canadian filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici [pictured], a three-time Emmy award winner best known as the host of “The Naked Archaeologist,” a syndicated TV series. He is also a frequent blogger for the Times of Israel
[ . . . ]
“Some scholars see any claims to have found the bones of Jesus as crazy, fringe, and sensational,” explains UNC’s James Tabor. “Much like finding the Ark of the Covenant or proving the Shroud of Turin is authentic.”
Israeli/Jewish scholars, Tabor adds, “tend to not want to deal with things that challenge the basic assumptions of Christianity — not because they believe those assumptions, but just because it is best left alone. And academics of Christian background may hesitate to find the bones of Jesus for theological reasons — i.e., it threatens orthodox Christianity.”
The latter constituency, Jacobovici suggests, may be suffering from “paradigm collapse trauma.”
As archaeology gets closer and closer to the historical Jesus, he says, “it seems to contradict Pauline Christian theology in fundamental ways. As the evidence mounts, the inability to look at it also gets stronger.”
Paradigm collapse trauma. I like it. My new, favorite three-word accusation. Take that you radiocarbon datingists or you Wilsonists.
This is not really fresh news and Jacobovici is dreaming, unable to get over the fact that most academics and archaeologists, both in Israel and abroad, have rejected his claims. One important academic who initially supported almost his claims does not even mention his name now, realising the mistake he made and observing what he is getting at.
Pauline theology is stronger than ever, the apostle was the topic of important books by James Dunn, Alan Segal and Father Jerome Murphy O’Connor, and we now have the Annotated Jewish New Testament.
There are three important scholars Jacobovici would have to read, something written by two American authors also, if he does not know about these things. Once he finishes reading them he will necessarily have to change his mind if he is intellectually honest. If he doesn’t, then his agenda becomes even less hidden and we are led to what Zias drew our attention to: media hype, publishers and TV channels filling their coffers with money. The same old story…
They’re not in it for the message. They’re in it to make money from the Wow! factor. But some of the time it’s just narcissistic “Look at me!”
>>They’re not in it for the message. They’re in it to make money<<
Sounds like the opposite of Heath Ledger's Joker. ;) "It's not about the money, it's about sending a message". I'm sorry that BAR is now a mouthpiece for the views of Jacobovici, which are clearly flawed and biased, obvious even to a layman like myself. Whensomeons starts saying that an archeological find verifies claims made in a Dan Brown potboiler, you know there's something wrong.