Theological Considerations – The Resurrection and the Ascension:
As we have seen, James Cameron stated, “I’m not a theologist [sic.],”1 and Smicha Jacobovici stated, “I am not a theologian.”2
Yet, it is easy to see how theological issues are raised by their assertions. It would also be easy to accuse them of besmirching Christianity. Certainly, they filmed the documentary two decades after the tomb was found, after the success of The Da Vinci Code, and just before Easter.
Personally, I will be disappointed with them if they do not continue corroborating and continue making documentaries that call into question each of the world’s religions. But, and it may be due to the fact that they are not theologians, they appear to be taking a fairly non-confrontational approach. That is to say, let us be fair about what they are actually claiming. Although, let us keep in mind that they tend to take a grain of sand’s worth of evidence and turn it into an edifice of biblical proportions-pun intended.
Regarding the resurrection, Simcha Jacobovici, in a paraphrase of DSC, states:
“‘The Lost Tomb Of Jesus’ does not challenge the Resurrection. It asks viewers to consider the possibility that the Resurrection occurred from a second tomb_Belief in the resurrection is based not on which tomb he was buried in, but on alleged sightings of Jesus that occurred after his burial and that are documented in the Gospels.”3
Granted, they do not prove that Jesus, at least Jesus the Messiah, was in the Talpiot tomb. But they are at least offering the possibility that Jesus the Messiah did resurrect.
Regarding the ascension, Simach Jacobovici states (paraphrase of DSC):
“There is much debate among Christians as to whether this was a spiritual or a physical ascent. Did he leave his body behind or did he take it with him? If Jesus’ mortal remains have indeed been found, this would contradict the idea of a physical ascension. However, it says nothing against the possibility of a spiritual ascension.”4
Be that as it may, it appears that if you can believe in something as magical (see JamesTabor’s comment below) as a resurrection and ascension you might as well believe that they were spiritual and not physical (whatever that may mean). For information about the Judeo-Christian theological position on the physical resurrection and particular that of Jesus please see the post Resurrection.