Author Dinesh D'Souza challenges Bible skeptics with 'startling' archaeological discoveries

In an interview with Fox News Digital, D'Souza said he became fascinated with biblical archaeology because it "stunningly supports the historicity of the Bible."

"The Stones Cry Out," his newest book, is the culmination of a multi-year effort that began in 2022. It is scheduled to hit shelves Oct. 13.

His book delves into dozens of such discoveries. The Texas-based expert said some of the most striking involve relatively minor biblical figures whose existence has been supported by archaeological findings.

Not everyone, however, is convinced such discoveries corroborate the biblical record - a view D'Souza is unfazed by, he said.

"I think the skeptics generally are sort of armchair critics," he said.

"The problem for them is that archaeology is digging out of the ground artifacts that are a decisive refutation of the things that they say."

It wasn't until 1961 that archaeologists discovered the Pilate Stone - archaeological evidence that bore Pontius Pilate's name and identified him as "prefect of Judea." (That stone is on permanent display at The Israel Museum in Jerusalem, according to the museum's own website.)

"Boom. Not only does it confirm the existence of Pilate, but the Bible writers had his title exactly correct," D'Souza said.

In 1967, archaeologists excavating Deir 'Alla in modern-day Jordan discovered an ancient plaster inscription referring to "Balaam, son of Beor," a seer who shares the name and patronymic of the biblical figure.

"So skeptics, no surprise, go, 'This stuff is clearly made up,'" D'Souza said. "Well, fast-forward. … This is a guy who has just a few sentences in the Bible, and yet, thanks to this plaster inscription found in Jordan, he jumps out of the pages of the Bible and into the pages of history via the pathway of archaeology."

"He presides over the trial of Jesus. He orchestrates the crucifixion," he said.

"Yet for many, many centuries, Caiaphas had a kind of shady existence. He was mainly in the Bible, but not really outside the Bible," added D'Souza.

"They look inside the box. It's the bones of a 60-year-old man. They date it. It goes to the first century A.D. It's Caiaphas," D'Souza said.

D'Souza described his book "The Stones Cry Out" as an "attempt to bridge the gap between the academic world and the public."

"It's a complex field, but it's very rewarding," he said.

"All of the Old Testament and Jesus' own ministry takes place in the [land] of Israel," he said. 

"You get a much deeper understanding by being there. And also some of the terms and descriptions in the Bible take on a kind of new life."