Dilemma of the Lost Tomb

James Cameron’s film about the “Tomb of Jesus” has caused an uproar among the “faithful.”

Christians who claim their faith is based on history, like J. Hankins of Bob Jones University, say even investigating a tomb that may contain the remains of Jesus is to “travel down a dangerous road.”

Weird. One would think those who put faith in historical accounts would welcome learning more through archeology, not deny it.

Of course, the usual players in various denominations deny without investigation any possibility that the tomb might contain the remains of Jesus, likening the tomb’s discovery by moviemaker Cameron to “The Da Vinci Code” and the Judas Gospel.

More Christians should learn of the richness of their faith, especially the early teachings in the century after Christ died, and the many gospels repressed at that time.

The version of Christianity that has come down to us is not the full meal. Read up on the Gnostic traditions. How our Bible came to be is a fascinating story in itself.

We don’t know if Cameron found the tomb of Jesus. We don’t know how anyone could ever be sure, since DNA testing is probably not an option. The whole discovery may be hype, a sales pitch, an exploitation. It would not be the first in the name of god, even by the “godly.”

But we disagree with those who say that this can not be, should not be, must not be, who have no excitement about the potential of the discovery.

We can even pity the Rev. Rob Schenk, president of the National Clergy Council, who said “The resurrection is at the core of the faith. It’s the bedrock of my understanding of Christianity,” he says. “Without it I’m left with an empty philosophy, which could be traded for any other philosophy.”

We submit that the Rev. Schenk’s faith is already empty, that he plants “trees without fruit, in my name, in a shameful manner..." He is welcome to his beliefs, but there are others who also have rights to the claim of being “Christian.”

For many the power of Christ is not in the immaculate conception or the resurrection, it is in the power of great words heard past and present, warnings to the greedy, arrogant, and cruel, solace for the humble, for seekers of a better life and understanding.