Excavating the Evidence for Jesus — Season 1, Episode 6: December 25th
30 min • 1 season, 10 episodes
Episode synopsis
Why do we celebrate Christmas on December 25? Was Jesus possibly born on this day, or did celebrations start as a result of religious syncretism from Roman times? The Roman festival of Saturnalia, honoring the god Saturn, is often cited as the inspiration behind the church-sanctioned date for Christmas, but Saturnalia was celebrated from December 17–23, not on December 25, and therefore it was not a replacement festival or holy day. Another claim is that December 25th was the day for Sol Invictus and the early church just “Christianized” this day.
About Excavating the Evidence for Jesus
Archaeologist and author, Dr. Titus Kennedy, explores the scripture, history, archaeology, and evidence for the ancient world surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ. The home base for the series is Dr. Kennedy’s research lair, a secret basement where he stores maps, slides, tools, and artifacts from his various excavations and adventures. In addition to teaching with a collection of old school resources, Titus treks outside his lair for special visits to Israel’s archaeology sites and museums. Designed for all ages, Excavating the Evidence for Jesus is fun and educational, encouraging families to dig deeper into the Gospel accounts together.