Monday, September 16, 2013

Émile Puech's Statement on the Talpiot Tomb Images

I expressed some surprise over Prof. Émile Puech's apparent endorsement of Simcha Jacobovici's claims about the Talpiot Tombs on Thursday in a post headed Simcha Jacobovici and the Talpiot Tomb Again.

It now appears that Prof. Puech is very unhappy with the way that he was treated by Jacobovici and he has spoken out about this, first in en email reproduced on Jim West's blog, and subsequently in emails to several scholars including James Tabor, who publishes the email in a blog posted headed Emile Peuch’s [sic] Position on the “Jesus Discovery” and “Lost Tomb of Jesus” Films.

I am grateful to Prof. Tabor for publishing Prof. Puech's comments, and I think it is greatly to his credit that he has done so.  

I hope that Simcha Jacobovici will be issuing a public apology to Prof. Puech as soon as possible.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I actually thought Dr. Tabor did the right thing. Credit to him.

But I agree: let's see if Mr. Jacobovici will do offer a public apology.

And, Mark, I STILL have some questions about the photo that was shown to Prof. Puech...

Stephen C. Carlson said...

Experts should not allow another party to control the amount and form of the information that is to form the basis of their opinion.

Jens Knudsen (Sili) said...

"Peuch’s [sic]"

A little French is a dangerous thing.

Jim said...

That's true advice Stephen- but if followed, then a lot of biblical scholars will have to avoid giving interviews or appearing on tv specials as experts or 'talking heads'.

Skeptic said...

Bob, Tabor did not do the right thing, this has been going on and on for well over a decade. Only when they get 'outed' do they take a step back. Remember it was just a few weeks ago that a NPR reporter was threatened over what could happen when covering the trial. Did Tabor speak up over the abuse in which Deutch ran a paid for ad in BAR trashing Yuval Goren a few weeks ago, not a word. Did he speak up when Shanks called us liars and then published a photo of the dealer who 'kneweth not Joseph' standing next to one of us, I could go on and on, but there is a lot more to be said on this pathetic sordid maneuver by the BAR Crowd. They have been abusing DSS scholars in the past, perhaps a bit before your time when BAR ran a cover photo of the noted scholar, Strugnell with fleas crawling on his face. Stay tuned, its more pathetic than one could imagine.

Stephen Goranson said...

Prof. Puech's statement reminds me of at least one other statement, that by Prof. Robin Jensen at ASOR blog (Feb.29, 2012, in part):
"Therefore, I absolutely refute any claim that I concur with the interpretation of any first-century ossuary iconography as depicting Jonah."
http://asorblog.org/?p=1698