The National Geographic Magazine December 2017 issue聽devotes 40聽pages聽of text and photos聽to explore 鈥淲hat Archaeology Is Telling Us About the Real Jesus.鈥澛燭he article, written by Kristin Romey,聽focuses upon the聽Edicule聽inside聽the Church of the Holy聽Sepulchre,聽historically聽regarded聽to be the tomb in which Jesus鈥� body聽was placed.聽HBU鈥檚 Dr. Craig Evans聽served as a consultant for the article, exchanging emails and phone calls with Romey to help guide its content, and聽was聽quoted聽concerning Jesus鈥櫬燾ultural聽identity聽in the first century.
Throughout his career, Evans聽has聽enjoyed the privilege of delving聽into聽both聽the聽teachings聽of the聽Bible聽and the history surrounding them.聽The John聽Bisagno聽Distinguished聽Professor of Christian Origins for HBU, Evans is a sought-after聽New Testament聽expert,聽contributing to聽Christian and secular聽projects聽ranging from聽archeological undertakings to聽publications to聽television聽programs.
Before coming to 91影视 Baptist University聽in 2016, Evans聽spent聽more than three decades聽serving聽as a professor in Canada; notably, he founded the Dead Sea Scrolls Institute at Trinity Western University.聽His journey as a聽biblical studies聽professor and as聽a key contributor in聽high-profile聽projects聽was unforeseen for him.
鈥淕rowing up,聽initially聽I wanted to be a lawyer. I attended an elite small college in聽southern California. I majored in history and minored in philosophy,鈥� Evans said. 鈥淚n my senior year, I felt strongly convicted not to go into law school, but to聽go into theology and prepare for what I鈥檝e always regarded as a ministry for the church and for the academy. I prepared to be a professor, teacher and scholar who would be very much active in the church.鈥�
Evans couldn鈥檛 have imagined how his interest in history would take聽on聽such an important role in his work. From his first trip to the Holy Land 25 years ago,聽Evans聽has returned dozens of times,聽and is continually聽captivated by the place where聽Christianity聽began.
鈥淭hat聽first聽trip聽was a transformational experience. I realized, 鈥榃ow 鈥� archaeology has to be part of what I do. It just can鈥檛 be something I read about occasionally.鈥� Ancient history is important to all of us. As a Christian, I see God鈥檚 work in human history, so the better I understand history, the better I understand God鈥檚 story of what聽He鈥檚 doing with us.聽I鈥檝e imagined myself as one of Jesus鈥� disciples.聽I wanted to know聽how He lived and about His own faith in God. I wanted to know聽His world better 鈥� the culture, language and politics.鈥�
Thanks to his passion for biblical history,聽and his聽work聽and聽scholarship,聽Evans has聽become聽something of a Christian Indiana Jones.聽He鈥檚聽been involved in聽archeological聽restoration聽projects with the聽National Geographic Society,聽and has contributed to several of their books. Evans聽has聽written聽hundreds of articles, and published聽more than 80 books, including the well-known, 鈥淔abricating Jesus: How Modern Scholars Distort the Gospels.鈥澛燞e鈥檚 appeared in and contributed to about 100 documentaries and news programs, which have reached millions of viewers. One of聽the聽most well-known television projects聽in which he聽participated聽is 鈥淭he Bible,鈥� a miniseries created by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, which was viewed by a record 100聽million people.聽The聽strong聽response to each of his projects, Evans says, is an indication of a hunger to know聽about聽Jesus.
Evans remembers, for example,聽standing before the blinding lights of 130聽world聽reporters during a press conference聽regarding the聽鈥淕ospel of Judas鈥� manuscript聽restoration project.聽He recalls, in another instance,聽how an estimated one-quarter of North American adults watched the Dateline NBC two-hour special on聽鈥淭he Last Days of Jesus.鈥�
鈥淚 never would have dreamed there would be all of the publicity,鈥� Evans said. 鈥淭he public is interested in the historical Jesus.聽He is the most sought-after endorsement in world history. I find that so fascinating; that is not the way it is with anyone else.聽Outside of聽Muslims, who wants Muhammad鈥檚 endorsement? Outside of Buddhists, who cares what Buddha may or may not think about you? But everybody around the world wants to know where they stand in reference to Jesus.聽It鈥檚 so interesting how it goes back to the question Jesus asked his disciples: 鈥榃ho do people say that I am?聽And who do you say that I am?鈥櫬燭hose two questions remain as relevant today as when they were first asked 2,000 years ago.鈥�
In all of his studies, writings and projects, Evans thinks of how he can relate information that will be edifying. He teaches regularly at Second Baptist Church of 91影视, and is a guest teacher in other settings as聽well. 鈥淚 never lost聽sight聽of how this translates into something that鈥檚 meaningful in the pew,鈥� he said.聽鈥淚 love preaching and want to keep doing it.鈥�
Also at Second Baptist, Evans is involved in HBU鈥檚聽recently launched聽91影视 Theological Seminary, which equips聽future ministry聽leaders.聽Additionally, he has partnered with聽Christian Thinkers Society鈥檚 Dr. Jeremiah Johnston to further the work of the HBU-based聽organization.
In 2018, Evans will again be a consultant for the National Geographic Christmas issue.聽This time the focus will be on ancient聽biblical聽manuscripts.
When he聽considers聽the legacy of his life鈥檚 work, Evans thinks of how he has succeeded in encouraging Christians to understand the historical context and evidence of their faith.聽鈥淓very single archeological discovery that鈥檚 of any relevance supports what the Gospels have to say. Fiction writers 鈥� fakers 鈥� just don鈥檛 get that lucky,鈥澛爃e said.聽鈥淚 hope I鈥檓 remembered as a Christian who tried to be faithful to Jesus and the Gospels 鈥� to His message.鈥�
Looking ahead, Evans wants to help people find Jesus and then know Him better. 鈥淭here are people out there saying that the Gospel can鈥檛 be trusted and that Jesus doesn鈥檛 exist. I鈥檝e received emails and letters from people around the world who say (my work) helped them come to faith, save their faith and聽answer their questions,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o,聽I want to keep preaching, teaching, speaking and writing.鈥�
Visit the HBU鈥檚 School of Christian Thought.
痴颈蝉颈迟听 to learn more about聽Dr. Craig Evans.