Hey, another one about Jesus' Tomb

It's kind of funny, really, that every year, you get some revelation that supposedly holds the key to debunking the Christian story. Last year this time it was the Gospel of Judas, but it didn't have much long term traction, and this year it's James Cameron's "The Jesus Tomb." Next year it'll likely be some other discovery. Such events excite those predisposed to discount the Christian story, and burn the britches of biblical literalists. Those of us living somewhere in between get frustrated at times with the rhetoric, but don't really take these things too seriously.

I did like what Charlotte Allen wrote in today's LA Times Op-Ed section. Allen is a Belief.net editor. Her piece closes with this word that is of some value:

The one thing that these resolute neo-Gnostics and spiritual eclectics cannot do without, however, is Christianity itself. Untraditional as their ideas might be, they always somehow intersect the traditional Christian story: If not the four canonical Gospels, how about the Gospel of Judas? If not Jesus risen from the dead, how about Jesus interred in a bone-box with his wife?
Post-Christian the West might be, but Christianity continues to exude power and fascination, even among those who seek to debunk its claims. That is why millions will switch on "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" tonight. And why as Easter approaches next year, there will probably be another "Tomb," another chapter in the demolition of Christianity that depends on Christianity for its
existence.

Now the issue isn't whether there is/was a tomb with ossuaries that have the name "Jesus son of Joseph" and all, but whether such a discovery is at all signficant. Richard Baukham's posting at Chrisendom takes care of that. And if you need a bit of comic relief, then there's John Stewart.



As for tonight's big event, I think I'll be watching something else!