Karen King, the Hollis Professor of  Divinity at Harvard Divinity School, said that a fourth century codex written in the ancient Egyptian Coptic language refers to the wife of Jesus.

The find has historic and theological implications, it goes without saying. I remember the controversy surrounding  Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code,” a fictional thriller that asserted that Jesus had indeed been married.

Here’s what some news outlets are reporting:

Washington Post: “Did Jesus Have a Wife?”

CNN’s  Belief  Blog: Newly Revealed Coptic Fragment has Jesus Making Reference to ‘My Wife’   

TV Special

The Smithsonian Channel will present a special about the the finding unveiled by King.

“The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife” will be shown on Sept. 30, the cable channel announced today.

“One of the world’s most respected historians of early Christianity and holder of the oldest endowed chair in the United States, Dr. King is one of the few who understand the Coptic language,” a prepared statement released by the Smithsonian Channel stated.

“Earlier this year, a collector who wishes to remain anonymous, came to Dr. King at Harvard University with a fragment of papyrus that may have been excavated from an area in Upper Egyupt. The fragment, while damaged and difficult to decipher, clearly bears the line, ‘Jesus said to them, my wife …’”

The statement continues on, saying that while King does not believe this small fragment of ancient Christian text offers proof that Jesus was married, she believes the discovery will raise questions curently debated by modern Christians, such as the role of women in the church.

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Carla Hinton

Religion Editor