Customer Reviews

Buried Hope or Risen Savior: The Search for the Jesus Tomb

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Several books have appeared in print refuting the "Lost Tomb of Jesus' documentary and its companion book, _The Jesus Family Tomb_. Some were rushed into print through vanity presses or self-published just a few weeks after the documentary aired. In general, it showed. It took almost a year for _Buried Hope or Risen Savior_ to get published, but it was worth the wait. You'll not only get the soundest refutation of Jacobovici's theory available, but you'll also learn a great deal about biblical archaeology, historical Jesus studies, and even some very interesting math!

Charles Quarles, the editor, gathered together an outstanding group of respected scholars in their fields to write the chapters of this book. Steven Ortiz, a biblical archaeologist, and Darrell Bock, a justly famous New Testament scholar, contribute helpful introductory and concluding chapters. Craig Evans, author of the book _Jesus and the Ossuaries_ just a few years ago, discusses the ossuaries and tomb in question. Richard Bauckham, a pioneer in the study of Jewish names in the biblical period (among his many other accomplishments as a New Testament scholar), contributes a chapter on the names found on the ossuaries. William Dembski, a professional mathematician who also happens to be the leading light of the intelligent design movement, discusses the statistical fallacies of the Jesus-tomb advocates. Finally, Gary Habermas and Michael Licona, two leading evangelical scholars on the subject of Jesus' resurrection, each offer a chapter on this crucial issue.

Highly recommended.

Having read the Jesus Tomb, as well as many contrarian books about the subject, I found the dialogue here was represented as best as any argument or rebuttle could ever be. Balanced, insightful, full of additional discovery and information as regards a positive learning experience...

The authors certainly aren't out to gain fame or notoriety that many other academic types would be; specifically, by discounting or denigrating the works of another, many closed minded or stoic 'experts' would do a big 'shout over' as regards new finds and theory that may lead to the former 'expert' to be see as someone who messed up, didn't be thorough enough, or really didn't know what they were talking about on some points of the map. To save face and credence, for many of these their only recourse would be to bully their way through the 'new' discoveries of old things, for none of them ever want to see any sort of revision that would place them below any new take on things of days past. The 'inconvenient truth' would only serve to render them as human as the rest of us defective souls.

While I may not entirely agree with all the comments and rhetoric, or even some of the religious basis or historical interpretations present, all in all, the book represent a well rounded discertation of the subject and it's 'loose strings'. As mentioned in the 'Jesus Tomb', new finds and discoveries may not be convenient to any academic who currently holds the keys to enlightenment. Rather than rock the boat, it'd be better for those to simply encase it in concrete and forget about the 'new problem'.

The principal disadvantage that any reader has, or modern archaeologist for that matter, is we don't live the same way, nor have the same customs, nor even the same language. We all have ideas that seem plausible, but even like forensic scientists dealing with something that happened last week- everyone has a different opinion. For that one principle alone, it pays to keep an open mind during study for whom truly is to say what is the right conclusion, and what is the worng (intentional) one. One day, when we all die, and visit the 'archive' we will find out. Until that time, read, think, learn, and pray.

A great book!