Finding Jesus: Faith. Fact. Forgery.: Six Holy Objects That Tell the Remarkable Story of the Gospels

by David Gibson, Michael McKinley

Overview

FINDING JESUS dives even deeper into six major artifacts, covered in the 6-part CNN series of the same name, that give us the most direct evidence about the life and world of Jesus:

- John the Baptist
- The James Ossuary
- Mary Magdalene
- The Gospel of Judas
- The True Cross
- The Shroud of Turin and the Sudarium of the Oviedo

Finding Jesus provides a dramatic way to retell "the greatest story ever told" while introducing a broad audience to the history, the latest controversies, and newest forensic science involved in sorting out facts from the fiction of would-be forgers and deceivers. Drawing on experts from all over the world, this companion to the CNN series explores new questions and interpretations not covered in the show. Beyond the faithful, the book will also appeal to the skeptical and to curious readers of history and archaeology, while it takes viewers of the prime time TV series deeper into the story.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250087188
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	03/01/2016
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

DAVID GIBSON is an award-winning journalist, author, and filmmaker who specializes in covering the Catholic Church. He is a national reporter for Religion News Service and has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and for such leading magazines as New York and Fortune. David is also featured in the CNN series Finding Jesus.

MICHAEL MCKINLEY is an award-winning author, filmmaker, journalist and screenwriter. He has written several books, and wrote and co-produced the CBC TV documentary film "Sacred Ballot", as well as several documentaries for CNN Presents.

Table of Contents

Authors' Note ix

Introduction: Who Is Jesus? 1

1 John the Baptist: Rival Messiah, Bones of Contention 11

2 The James Ossuary: The Hand of God or the Crime of the Century? 45

3 Mary Magdalene: Prostitute, Apostle, Saint-or Jesus's Wife? 77

4 The Gospel of Judas: Christianity's Ultimate Whodunit 127

5 The True Cross: Enough to Fill a Ship 169

6 The Shroud and the Sudarium: Jesus of History, Jesus of Mystery 199

Acknowledgments 235

Bibliography 237

Editorial Reviews

A fascinating, provocative and informative entry into the life of Jesus. Finding Jesus uses controversies over recent archeological and literary finds, as well over some long-argued-over tales and relics, to provide readers with solid scholarship and thoughtful insights into the life of the man whose life, death and resurrection continues to enthrall and inspire.” —James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage

“Holy doubt is an essential element of faith, yet we are tantalized by stories that give historical insights in support of the foundations of our faith. Finding Jesus explores six artifacts that are windows into early Christianity and our desire to know what happened. These windows let us see that faith is deeper than history, but knowing these complex stories can sustain us as we grapple with today's questions. Finding Jesus' stories reveal our very human and complex hunger to understand mystery and our past.” Sister Simone Campbell, author of A Nun on the Bus

“For more than two millennia, few people have captured the imaginations of human beings like Jesus Christ. Whether you are spiritual or skeptical, 'Finding Jesus' will help you experience the life of One who changed the world. Part anthology and part theology, this book is about what Jesus meant to those who knew him and what he means to those who claim to know him today. Let 'Finding Jesus' lead you on a journey of faith and facts—you won't be sorry!” —Jonathan Merritt, author of Jesus Is Better than You Imagined

“Finding Jesus is for the curious: folks who are thrilled by spiritual quests and desire to separate fact from fiction when it comes to the history of our faith. You won't regret following Gibson's and McKinley's path through twists and turns of the Gospels and at the end of that path is the One who makes this greatest of stories make perfect sense.” —Joshua DuBois, author of The President's Devotional

“In a mix of engaging scholarship and gripping storytelling, Gibson and McKinley offer a page-turner for a wide audience.” —Kirkus

From the Publisher

2015-01-27
Balanced examination of famed and infamous relics connected to the life of Jesus. In the companion book to CNN's six-night TV series, Gibson (The Rule of Benedict: Pope Benedict XVI and His Battle with the Modern World, 2006, etc.) and McKinley (Hockey Night in Canada: 60 Seasons, 2012, etc.) add to the search for the historical Jesus by exploring the stories behind six artifacts of the Christian faith. In the course of their work, the authors strike a difficult balance between secular objectivity and reverence for the gravity of their subject matter. As they explain in the introduction, "artifacts are, in a way, a rare patch of common ground between skeptics and believers, a place where science and religion can come together, not as foes but as pilgrims on a shared journey—wherever it leads." Their own journey begins with John the Baptist and the myriad relics claimed to be from among his remains, including no less than two separate heads. The authors then move on to the James Ossuary, or bone box, purported to be the resting place of Jesus' brother. The authors also examine the recently rediscovered, so-called Gospel of Jesus' Wife, followed by another scrap of ancient text, the Gospel of Judas. Gibson and McKinley finish with a discussion of the "true cross" of Christ (bits of which are purportedly scattered across the globe) and the famed Shroud of Turin, which has elicited controversy since medieval times. In each case, the authors provide complex scriptural background, historical analysis and the facts behind each case, including the often-complex scientific scrutiny each relic has undergone. Their work forms an intriguing, educational read for both believers and skeptics. The authors do not claim to have found any definitive answers, but they certainly raise meaningful and thoughtful questions. In a mix of engaging scholarship and gripping storytelling, Gibson and McKinley offer a page-turner for a wide audience.

Kirkus Review