I prefer not to share my personal opinions in class, but I encourage you students to come up with your own.

[He addresses the room at large.]

That's actually your assignment for next class. I'd like an essay, at least two pages but no more than five regarding the various retellings of the Savior legend and your personal interpretations of them based on the data given. I'd like you to pay special attention to the purposes for which each version was presented and take that into account. If you have a drastically different idea of what may have happened historically, I expect you to be able to support it with citations. This isn't a creative writing class.

[There's a small titter of laughter across the assembled students but it's tempered by the several who are mentally groaning over having to write an essay.]

I'll give you the last twenty minutes of class to get started on your outlines. If anyone has anything specific to their paper they would like to ask me, please come up here and speak to me at my desk.

[A cacophony of shuffling papers kicks up as Professor Heinrich takes a seat. If Laurent would like to pursue his line of questioning, he's more than welcome.]