Jackson said not only were the names Jeshua, or Jesus, and Joseph extremely common during the first century, "it's clear to anyone who reads the New Testament, to every Christian, that they're not going to bury Jesus in a box and call him 'the son of Joseph."'

Historical Christians believe Jesus was God made flesh, not the son of a mortal man, while Latter-day Saints believe he was the son of God.

"This is not a scholarly piece, and no one views it that way," Jackson said. "They have been accused of pimping The Da Vinci Code," the recent book whose admittedly fictional account of conspiracy theories and extra-biblical truth helped it sell more than 60 million copies worldwide.

Jackson and Holzapfel believe many Latter-day Saints are susceptible, "more often than others," to truth claims that are based on a blend of fact and fiction "because of the unique doctrinal claims we have."

For information about the upcoming panel discussion and conference, which are free and open to the public, call 422-6975.

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E-mail: carrie@desnews.com