Who was James?

According to the New Testament, as well as the Church Fathers and early ecclesiastical historians, James was the younger brother of Jesus. But that's not all. James was the eldest of four brothers and at least two sisters of Jesus! This comes as startling news to many Christians and non-Christians alike. The Roman Catholic church denies, as a matter of doctrine, that Jesus had siblings. However, the Eastern Orthodox churches, as well as all Protestant churches, have always accepted that Jesus had siblings, although this is certainly not something that is well known in either tradition. As we shall see, James is truly a man of mystery and the reasons for his obscuration in history are disturbing.

Most commonly known as "James the Just" because of his reputation for righteousness, James has been a subject of intense controversy over the last 2,000 years, a trend that continues to this day. James recently made international headlines due to the discovery of an ancient Jewish ossuary (a burial box) that bears the inscription: "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus." But now the question of the authenticity of that inscription has led to arrests and a shake-up in the Israeli department of antiquities as well as the the archaeological community as a whole. See: The Ossuary Controversy

While the authenticity of this ancient artifact remains a huge question, what is beyond any shadow of a doubt is the huge role that James played in the leadership of the early church. Another surprising fact is that it was actually James who was the leader of the apostles after the Crucifixion and not Peter as is commonly supposed. According to the testimony of the New Testament, and as attested by many of the Catholic Church Fathers, James was elected by the apostles as the first bishop of the Christian Church, and for all intents and purposes was Jesus' successor. In essence, this makes James the first pope!

So, just what evidence is there for these astounding claims? Plenty! Just read on: EVIDENCE