Examined: the Nativity story from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and what archaeological evidence reveals. Also: a look at what life was like in Judaea and Galilee 2000 years ago.
Historians and archaeologists try to re-create what Jesus may have looked like, and how his environment shaped his ideas and beliefs. Also: prevailing religious movements of the time.
Forensic detectives, scientists, historians and archaeologists examine the travels of Jesus and the places where he spoke. Included: a reenactment of the “Sermon on the Mount.”
The state of medical care in the first century according to Roman and Greek sources, as well as Deuteronomic law. Also: accounts from the Bible of Jesus healing the sick.
Questions about the Last Supper. Included: where the dinner occurred, who was on the guest list and what was on the menu.
An investigation of who was responsible for the arrest and death of Jesus. Included: the political climate of the first century in the Holy Land; aspects of Jesus' ministry that may have made him a target.
A report on crucifixion examines how this gruesome method of execution works on the body, and why the Romans employed it. The hour also traces the history of crucifixion.
The treatment of the body of Jesus between the Crucifixion on Good Friday and the report of his tomb being empty on Easter Sunday is explored.
Who was the real Mary Magdalene? Saint or sinner? For fifteen hundred years Christians regarded the woman who had been so close to Jesus as a reformed prostitute. Evidence now shows that this was part of a devious smear campaign by the early church to remove women from the clergy. Now Science Of The Bible examines ancient text, explores long-lost customs and cuts through centuries of political spin to reveal the real Mary Magdalene.
Exploring how early Christians spread the message of Jesus around the Mediterranean world and into Europe. The hour also examines how Christian rituals took shape and found consistent form as sacraments still celebrated today; and it looks into how Christianity survived periodic persecution and became the state religion of the Roman Empire under Constantine in the early 4th century.
Dr. Robert Ballard probes the Black Sea for clues regarding the flood of the Bible and other ancient Middle Eastern religions.
Controversy surrounding the Shroud of Turin.
Possible causes and connections between events in the Book of Exodus.
Exploring the history and religious significance of the Israelites' Ark of the Covenant, a chest built at Moses' behest (and first mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 25:16). It is said to contain testimony of God's pact with the Jews and the tablets holding the Ten Commandments. Solomon placed the Ark in the Temple at Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:6-9), but it has been missing since the Babylonians destroyed the temple in 586 B.C. This hour includes speculation as to what might have happened to it.
Tracing the history of the Knights Templar, the medieval military and monastic order founded in the early 12th century in the wake of the First Crusade. The Templars flourished under papal protection for almost 200 years, but were dissolved in 1312 by Pope Clement V after they ran afoul of the king of France. The hour also addresses speculation that the order operated later as a secret society, an idea that gained attention in recent years as a result of the popularity of “The Da Vinci Code.”
A report on sinful cities in the Bible focusing on the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Joshua's victory at Jericho, as related in the Book of Genesis. The hour looks into whether these cities ever actually existed or whether the biblical accounts are simply moral fables.
Exploring some of the teachers who competed with early Christianity. Among them: Simon Magus, a Gnostic contemporary of Jesus from Samaria, who's mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles; and Apollonius of Tyana, a 1st-century Greek philosopher who was a disciple of Pythagoras. Also: Mithraism, a Persia-based religion.
Scientific tests attempt to determine whether a stone called King Solomon's Tablet is authentic.