James: Brother of Jesus  (2003)

Theatrical Release Information:
James: Brother of Jesus

In September of 2002, a private antiquities collector in Israel revealed that he had in his possession a limestone ossuary, dating back to 70 A.D. Translating the Aramaic inscription on the side of the ossuary, experts discovered that it once contained the bones of "James, son of Joseph, Brother of Jesus." While some historians have warned that James, Joseph, and Jesus were common first century names, others have determined that this artifact represents the first (and thus far only) physical evidence of the Messiah's existence. Produced by Emmy-winning documentary maker Simcha Jacobovici, the 60-minute James: Brother of Jesus explores all sides of this archeological-theological argument, utilizing reality footage, dramatic re-enactments, and in-depth interviews with such experts as Hershel Shanks, the man who first made the existence of the so-called James Ossuary public (and subsequently wrote a book about it). In America, James: Brother of Jesus was first telecast on Easter Sunday 2003 by cable's Discovery Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide