A two-hour investigation presented by Don Cupitt of Emmanuel College, Cambridge
There can be little doubt that Jesus is in fashion. Even in a secular century, he seems to exercise as strong a grip as ever on our imagination. But is there any basis in history for the Jesus of television and cinema or the Christ of the Christian Church? Did such a man ever live and if so can we discover what he was like?
DON CUPITT follows a trail of manuscripts and archaeological discoveries back to the time of Jesus. He consults John Fenton , Principal of St Chad's College, Durham, about the miracles and myths. George Caird , Professor of New
Testament at Oxford, challenges the idea that Jesus thought of himself as the divine ' Son of God'. Other contributions and reactions from Professor Anthony Birley , Professor David Flusser , Bishop Christopher Butler , Canon Michael Green , Brian Hebble thwaite and archaeologists Nahman Avigad and L. Y. Rahmani.
In Israel Don Cupitt attempts to piece together the events of Jesus's life in the places where they happened - starting not in Bethlehem but in Nazareth. Shocking to some, exciting to others, the Jesus who is emerging from modern critical scholarship is very different from the traditional Christ. Is it possible that the Church itself has not done justice to this extraordinary man? Reader MARTIN JARVIS
Producer PETER ARMSTRONG
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