Was Jesus Taught By Druids?

No, really, there are people giving the question serious treatment.

Now a film has sought to add flesh to the fable by claiming it's perfectly plausible the Messiah made an educational trip to Glastonbury.

And Did Those Feet explores the idea that Jesus accompanied his supposed uncle, Joseph of Arimathaea, on a business trip to the tin mines of the South-West.

Whilst there, it is claimed he took the opportunity to further his maths by studying under druids.

Dan Brown is probably working on making up an authoritative history for this as we speak.

The theory is that he arrived by sea, following established trading routes, before visiting several places in the West Country.

In the film, Dr Gordon Strachan, a Church of Scotland minister, says it is plausible Jesus came to further his education. The country is thought to have been at the forefront of learning 2,000 years ago, with mathematics particularly strong.

Ted Harrison, the film's director, said: 'If somebody was wanting to learn about the spirituality and thinking not just of the Jews but also the classical and Greek world he would have to come to Britain, which was the centre of learning at the time.

'Jesus was a young man curious to find out about all sorts of things.

'We know there is a huge gap in the life of Jesus between when he was born and when his ministry started.

'He would have come to learn what was being taught about astronomy and geometry which was being taught at "universities" run by druids at the time.'

Mr Harrison, a former BBC religious affairs correspondent, says Jesus may just have been a boy when he left the Middle East for England.

Of course, you can contrast all this speculation above with the dearth of actual facts.

Unsurprisingly, the documentary stops short of concluding the visit did take place, noting 'Jesus's shoe has not turned up'. However, the makers insist that while the visit is unproven, it is possible.

Mr Harrison said there were 'no archaeological finds' to back up the myth, but 'by exploring the legend, we are opening up a fascinating new insight into early Christianity'.

It's possible. McBrien would be so pleased. It's probably only a matter of time before he has an article in The Tidings giving credence to this theory. What's astonishing (even though it shouldn't be) is that with all the ideas about Jesus that are based on sheer "possibility," there is such a large mass of people who won't consider the possibility that He is God.