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Jesus Tomb Claim Stirs Cries of Heresy

Archaeologist calls it "pimping off the Bible"

By Sarah Seltzer,  Newser User

Posted Mar 6, 2007 11:04 AM CST

(Newser) – A book and documentary produced by Titanic's James Cameron claims to identify the burial place of Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene and a son, Judah. The documentary, which Newsweek calls "a slick and suspenseful narrative," asserts that 10 bone boxes found in 1980 in a first-century burial cave in Jerusalem once contained the bones of Christ and his family.

Lost Tomb of Christ director Simcha Jacobovici says the findings are compatible with Christianity, but church leaders and archaeologists alike are already crying heresy. "This is nothing more than a modern day circus sideshow," says Reverend Bob Schenk in the New York Times. "He's pimping off the Bible," says archaeologist Jo Zias.

Israeli filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici
Israeli filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici   (Getty Images (by Event))
The ossuaries (bone boxes) believed to be those of Jesus of Nazareth...
The ossuaries (bone boxes) believed to be those of Jesus of Nazareth...   (Getty Images)
US filmmaker James Cameron talks about the ossuaries (bone boxes...
US filmmaker James Cameron talks about the ossuaries (bone boxes...   (Getty Images)
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