Jim Tabor's Blog and Koppel's Show - March 3

Jim Tabor has summarized his take on the Ted Koppel show. Here is his take on what happened yesterday:"The Ted Koppel Show: A Critique of the Jesus Family TombFiled under: Tabor's Blog — James Tabor @ 1:51 pmI am in D.C. today filming a show with Ted Koppel as moderator that is scheduled to air Sunday night on Discovery after the showing of “The Lost Tomb of Jesus Film.” It is called: The Lost Tomb of Jesus: A Critique.The program is divided into two segments, with the filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici and I involved in both. The first was with two archaeologists:William Dever, professor emeritus of Near Eastern archaeology at the University of ArizonaJonathan Reed, professor of Religion, University of La VernePThe second was with three theologians:Darrell Bock, Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas TheologicalSeminary, past president of the Evangelical Theological SocietyThe Very Rev. David O’Connell, C.M., President, The Catholic Universityof AmericaProfessor Judy Fentress-Williams from Virginia Theological SeminaryI think the show turned out very well though I was the only guest that had anything good to say about the film. Koppel was clearly wanting to expose Jacobovici as one who did sloppy and irresponsible work, questioning the validity and evidence for several key areas of the case the film makes. Cameron was hardly mentioned. I thought the “theology” side of things went much better than the “archaeology” side. Both Dever and Reed trashed the film with very strong language. Unfortunately the format and the limited time did not allow much discussion of the evidence and I tried from time to time to clarify some of the facts which I think were being misstated and misrepresented.Dever and I are old friends from days in Israel and Jonathan Reed is one of the excavators at Sepphoris, so I was pleased to see them again and in time I hope more of the data and evidence regarding the Talpiot site will get factored into their opinions and conclusions. I was particularly pleased to meet Darrell Bock. He is a “conservative evangelical” so our views are poles apart, but he is a bright and decent fellow who offers reasoned input. I anticipate lots of good exchanges with him in the future and maybe I can post some of that here on this Blog. Rev. O’Connel was very gracious, kind, and a real gentleman, and Professor Fentress-Williams was sharp and highly perceptive, particularly on cultural impact issues.I look forward to seeing the “real thing” when it airs."______I appreciate Tabor's kind words about me. I had a nice conversation with him after the filming that allowed us to interact. I did the same with Jacobovici. The conversation was amiable and substantive. I take the show to be what it is, a frank exchange of how people feel. You will see Tabor and I spar on 1 Cor. 15 and the nature of resurrection. It repeats a conversation I had years ago with Marcus Borg in a debate at the University of North Texas. You will see, I think, that we make for a good "debate" and try to get to the issues.