by Richard. Andrews, Paul Schellenberger
List: $29.95

1 No Amer Edition Hardcover, 513 pages
Published by Little Brown & Company
Publication date: November 1996
Dimensions (in inches): 1.56 x 9.52 x 6.42
ISBN: 0316042757

Synopsis:

Andrews and Schellenberger return to one of history's greatest unsolved mysteries--the precise location of Jesus Christ's bodily remains. This book is sure to spark controvery. The authors make startling new claims about the tomb which holds the body of Christ. Illustrated 16 color, 50 b&w, first print of 20,000.

Card catalog description

It began as an attempt to solve an intriguing historical puzzle. But years of painstaking research revealed something more: the exact geographical location of Christ's tomb, in southern France. In The Tomb of God, Richard Andrews and Paul Schellenberger take you along step-by-step as they track down the most closely guarded secret of the last two millennia. Their starting point is Rennes-le-Chateau, a small village in France's Languedoc region that is at the center of legends about a fabulous treasure - the Ark of the Covenant, according to some; the Holy Grail, according to others. Late last century, a village priest discovered encrypted parchments secreted in the altar of the local church. What these parchments mean - and how they relate to the fabled treasure - has long been the subject of scholarly debate. But now Andrews and Schellenberger provide the answers - and in the process uncover Christianity's secret history.

baumart@msn.com from toronto, canada , 05/08/98, rating=10: the book fires the imagination, but raises more questions! i don't have a review as such, other than to say it is an extraordinary read and highly recommend it to any one who has read holy blood and holy grail. i would be grateful to anyone who has has any information as to the catholic churches response to the book and its findings. if the authors read this perhaps they can find the time to respond

The only reason I don't rate this book a 10 is that the opening chapters, while very interesting, and well written (considering what they contain) are not easy to get through, due to the extreme complexity of the subject. I shudder to think what a casual reader who had never read anything before about the mysteries surrounding the little village of Rennes-le-Chateau in southern France (the works of Henry Lincoln, especially) would make of them. But if you have read any of Lincoln's books, or seen any of his TV documentaries on the subject, don't miss this book. The authors, an archeologist and an engineer, make Lincoln look like a bumbling amateur by deftly maneuvering through a complex mine-field of clues, real and false, that led Lincoln far down the wrong trail. In several chapters of detailed detective work, they demonstrate with geometric logic (pun intended) that the real treasure of Rennes-le-Chateau (or that general area) is not Templar gold, or some vague ancient Holy Place, but the tomb of Jesus, its existence and location kept secret by some few initiates over the centuries because denial of the physical resurrection and assumption of Jesus was grounds for the most excrutiating punishments of the Catholic Inquisition. The closing chapters are much easier to follow, and explore the question of how the body of Jesus came to be buried in a secret location in what was then Gaul and who was responsible for keeping the secret all these centuries, in encoded paintings, parchments, gravestones, and landmarks. (Here it helped that I had just recently read Bloodline of the Holy Grail and The Hiram Key, q.v.) Unfortunately for those of us who would like to see the authors' thesis put to the ultimate test, the site the authors show to be indicated by all these clues is on private land and not likely to be excavated. But even if human remains were to be found there, it would be impossible to prove whose they were. Jesus left no fingerprints or DNA samples on file anywhere to compare them to. ! But the authors make an extremely convincing case. If you're interested in the origins and true nature of Christianity, or just love a good (true) mystery, you'll find this book well worth the effort it takes to follow the evidence.

This book would surely be one of the best I have read on this subject matter. Having been involved with this subject matter for almost 20 years, I can only say that the book is short of being fantastic. Although I am hopeless at geometry, I fully trust the calculations and can only hope that a following book will be out shortly.

The Tomb of God, is excellently written. It uses respcetable scienctific methods to uncovered the greatest conspriacy ever. And most importantly, it eliminates the Bible as an association with God. It doesn't neccessarily eliminate God- itself, just the POLITICS OF RELIGION. I have seen religion and specifically the Bible compel many people to do things that they normally wouldn't do. After all, it compelled me because I thought I was going to hell I acted like I was going to hell. However, the book doesn't address what characteristics and triats God must have or must not have if God doesn't have the Biblical triats which it seems god doesn't. It is sad if indeed that is the body of Jesus not because Mr. Shcellenberger and Mr. andrews discovered it but because it was used as a false way to control people and compel people's souls. For example, mental illness and religion are extremely related. It seems also that criminal behavior and the Bible are related because 90 % of criminals in one study said that they beleive they are going to hell. In other words, if you tell people they are going to hell then they will act like they are going to hell. The authors did a respectable job but they didn't give an adequate explanation of what God must be like.

On a whim, I picked up this book at Heathrow for casual inflight reading (it's a national best-seller in the UK), and was immediately engaged. It's a truly fascinating scientific and secular investigation into a highly controversial Christian (especially Catholic) subject. Sort of a "what the Pope doesn't want you to know" examination exposing a two thousand year old cover-up. A treasure hunter's dream, detailing the clues and solutions to the mystery in parchments, maps, paintings, gravestones, architecture, etc. If you have an interest in Western cultural or religious history, or just like a good mystery explained, I highly recommend this book.

The book was quite stellar. the authors Paul Schellenberger and Richard Andrews. Did a excellent job of doing intensive research and settling on only math and science. However, they still need to dig up the body of Christ. Or whateve treasure is in there. I am an anthropologist to be and could find someone to help them with this. It is the final piedce of the puzzle and then the truth will be revealed. Which was the point of this book in the first place

An incredibly interesting book and I only wish I had the resources to prove the observations for myself. I was impressed with the amount of work it must of taken to gather the info. I read lincolns work that started it all and felt that some of the info. was held back. Then I saw his video and came to the conclusion that there was a larger picture to be viewed and that the implications of a "hidden tomb" is not all that important. I am aware of the possibilities that expose themselves if jesus's tomb is in France, but the meaning of it all will only be important to those who crave a monarchy or new cast system. I take no interest in what the masses follow, lemmings and all. The secret Gothic Knowledge and Sophia is there for those who take "the path less worn". I have done some investigating of my own of some of the cathedrals in France and have seen a repeating of some of the knowledge uncovered in 'the tomb of god'. I can only hope the Authors will come out with another.

Table of Contents
Foreword
Introduction
1. The Parchments
2. The Cipher Code
3. The Guardian Spirit
4. Ancient Signs and Secrets
5. The Priest and the Paintings
6. 'X Marks the Spot'
7. Mount Cardou
8. Three Errant Priests
9. The Poussin Enigma
10. Through the Parchments and Beyond
11. Fresh Clues and Further Confirmation
12. The Grave on the Rose Line
13. The Knights Templar and the Place of the Skull
14. Et in Arcadia Ego
15. One Errant Academic
16. The Secret and its Guardians
17. The Bones of the Prophet
18. In the Name of Jesus
19. The Rose Cross: its Rebirth and Benefactors
20. The Ultimate Hiding-Place
Afterword
Acknowledgements
Chronology
Appendices
Notes
Bibliography
Index

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