Archaeologist Dr. Chris McKinney spoke with ChurchLeaders about his new film, “Legends of the Lost Ark.”
The film follows McKinney and a team of scholars as they investigate three major ancient traditions about the Ark of the Covenant’s disappearance following the destruction of the First Temple in 586 B.C. Rather than promoting speculative claims, McKinney emphasized the importance of returning to early sources.
“What are the ancient sources saying about it? Because they’re far closer to that event than we are,” he said.
McKinney noted that many modern-day claims about the ark’s location, including theories placing it in Ethiopia or beneath Jerusalem, often come with theological agendas or unverified certainty.
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“The people that are looking for it are by and large people that already know that they found it,” he said. “That’s not what this is.”
Instead, “Legends of the Lost Ark” explores the historical, geographical, and archaeological context of the biblical narrative, offering viewers what McKinney described as a closer look at the “trail” left behind in ancient texts.
McKinney spoke about how the advancement in modern technology has expanded the way people are exploring.
“There may be new technology that allows us to peek inside through digital means,” he said, while acknowledging that some locations remain politically and religiously off-limits.
Despite growing interest and improved tools, McKinney remains cautious about whether the ark will ever be physically discovered.
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“I ultimately, of course, don’t know,” he said. “It’s up to the Lord to reveal.”
However, McKinney did say, “We actually can find what it looked like. That’s the first step, is we know what it looked like because we can study Ancient Egypt and see the context of what these types of objects are. So we’ve already made a massive leap forward.”
Beyond the search itself, McKinney said the film ultimately invites viewers into a deeper appreciation of Scripture and the ancient world it describes.
“It really isn’t about the proving,” he said. “It’s about immersing yourself in that world.”
“Legends of the Lost Ark” will be released as a special theatrical event through Fathom Entertainment, appearing in approximately 1,000 theaters nationwide on April 12 and again April 14–15.
Dr. Chris McKinney discusses his film “Legends of the Lost Ark,” exploring what history reveals about the Ark of the Covenant’s disappearance.Click to Post
