I 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 Arizona
Jonathan Reed, professor of Religion, University of La VerneP
The second was with three theologians:

Darrell Bock, Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological
Seminary, past president of the Evangelical Theological Society
The Very Rev. David O’Connell, C.M., President, The Catholic University
of America
Professor Judy Fentress-Williams from Virginia Theological seminary

It was an honor to be with such a distinguished group of scholars and have someone of the stature of Ted Koppel moderating things. I think the show turned out very well though I was the only guest who was positive overall about the film other than than its producer, Simcha Jacobovici, of course. Koppel asked some tough questions, and exhibited the skillful style he is known for in covering a complex and sensitive subject. I think all of us felt we did not have time to really adequately discuss things but that is the nature of TV and we only had one hour.

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.

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