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James Tabor

James Tabor
Dr. James Tabor is Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is a professor of Christian origins and ancient Judaism. Since earning his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago in 1981, Tabor has combined his work on ancient texts with extensive field work in archaeology in Israel and Jordan, including work at Qumran, Sepphoris, Mt. Zion in Jerusalem, Masada, Wadi el-Yabis and, with Shimon Gibson, the “John the Baptist” cave at Suba and the recently discovered “Tomb of the Shroud” in Jerusalem. Tabor has also been heavily involved in the recent “Jesus Family Tomb” controversy. He is chief editor of the Original Bible Project that is producing a new scholarly translation of the Bible. Among his publications are Things Unutterable (1985), A Noble Death (1992) and Why Waco: Cults and the Battle for Religious Freedom in America (1995). His latest book, now out in paperback, is The Jesus Dynasty: A New Historical Investigation of Jesus, His Royal Family, and the Birth of Christianity (Simon & Schuster). James Tabor has been most recently involved as co-director with Shimon Gibson in the excavation on Mt Zion outside Zion Gate, sponsored by UNC Charlotte.

Presenter at

  • Bible & Archaeology Fest XII, November 20-22, 2009
    Media Hype, Academic Squabbles and the James Ossuary: Getting the Facts Straight
    This lecture attempts to sort through the major issues related to the “James Ossuary.” It will examine the variety of media treatments and academic responses, and clarify what we know and what remains uncertain or undetermined.

James Tabor Online

Tabor Blog
Website of James Tabor

Selected Articles by James Tabor

BAS Learning Resources Featuring James Tabor

Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament (DVD Lectures)
Sifting History (DVD Lectures)
Biblical Archaeology: From the Ground Down (DVD )
Lost Christianities (3-Part DVD Set)
Just Dug Up: The Latest Finds from Biblical Israel and the Deep (DVD Lectures)
A Jesus Hideout in Jordan? Mapping Ancient Textual Traditions
The World of the New Testament (DVD Lectures)
Illuminating the Word: New Insights into Biblical Texts (DVD Lectures)

Selected Books by James Tabor