Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science
Cathbad placed his hand on the woman’s stomach and prophesied that the unborn child would be a girl named Deirdre, and that she would be exceedingly beautiful but would bring about the ruin of Ulster. FROM THE TÁIN BÓ CUAILNGE A recurrent theme in stories about the Irish gods is that of the love triangle … Continue reading “Doing History: Did Celts Ritually Kill Their Kings?”
This series of posts has put a spotlight on the historical evidence that despite certain public comments to the contrary the pre-1948 Zionist movement was dominated by the intention to cleanse Palestine of its Arab population to make way for the settlement of Jews from Europe and elsewhere. Much of the evidence surveyed has come … Continue reading “Expulsion of the Palestinians, Part 11″
On the AFA forum someone suggested I address the following 5 points often used to argue for Christianity originating with a historical Jesus. how about addressing the main points of the evidence offered up by the historicists? 1. The Brother of The Lord 2. Born of a woman 3. Born in the line of David … Continue reading “Putting 4 sticking points on the historical/mythical Jesus argument into perspective”
In the world of biblical studies, scholars and laypeople alike tell us over and over that the absence of evidence is not the same thing as evidence of absence — and with good reason. Actually, they have two good reasons. First, it is true, in a technical sense. They are not identical propositions. And second, … Continue reading “Dealing with Silence and the Absence of Evidence in an Age of Resurgent Orthodoxy”
We think of Hellenism as the enemy against which the Maccabees fought to the death. But consider the following . . . . To celebrate the recapturing and re-dedication of the Jerusalem Temple in 164 BCE the Maccabees instituted the festival of Hannukah [=Dedication]: Judah and his brethren and the whole congregation of Israel ordained, … Continue reading “Those Hellenistic and Hellenizing Maccabees and Pharisees”
[Updated 12 hours after original posting] I’d like to place here some balance or corrective to Tim O’Neill’s criticism of Catherine Nixey’s The Darkening Age: The Christian Destruction of the Classical World. James McGrath has lent his support to O’Neill’s attack on Nixey’s book by expressing disdain for both atheists and their “gullible” audiences: When … Continue reading “Christians, Book-Burning, Temple Destruction and some balance on Nixey’s popular polemic”
I have been reading (and re-reading) several books on the grisly history of anti-Semitism. A few weeks ago I posted on a couple of thoughts that arose out of my reading of From Prejudice to Destruction: Anti-Semitism, 1700-1933 (1980) by Jacob Katz. Katz covers the rise of anti-Semitism from the Age of Enlightenment through to … Continue reading “Still Chosen After All These Centuries: Readings on Modern Jewish Experiences”
Warning: If you are looking for snazzy gotcha type parallels that demonstrate a genetic relationship between the letters of Paul and Enoch you will be disappointed. This post is not about direct imitation or identification of “a source” for Paul’s letter. The first page addresses form parallels; to see the content and ideas click “read … Continue reading “Meet Paul and Enoch; both come from the same place”
In his opening chapter of From Prejudice to Destruction: Anti-Semitism, 1700-1933 Jacob Katz introduces readers to Johann Andreas Eisenmenger, a late seventeenth century intellectual whom he identifies as setting out the blueprint for the survival of antisemitism beyond the Christian era of the Middle Ages. Katz points out that, ironically, just as the European world … Continue reading “Islamophobia Really Is a Twin of Anti-Semitism”
Before putting aside for a while Tomas Hägg’s The Art of Biography in Antiquity I must address his chapter on the canonical gospels. It’s most interesting to have a set of non-theological eyes from an outside field (classics) examine their literary art as “ancient biographies” while nonetheless engaging with what biblical scholars have learned. I have … Continue reading “Evolution of the Gospels as Biographies, 1”
If the Life of Aesop is riddled with obvious fiction yet it is concluded that Aesop really existed, what does Tomas Hägg (The Art of Biography in Antiquity) do with the question of the historicity of Demonax, a figure whose biography contains only sober and believable accounts and is said to have been written by … Continue reading “Did the ancient philosopher Demonax exist?”
Short answer, the one I would give if I had to bet my house on being right: I don’t know. Short answer, but one I would offer at no risk of damages to myself if I am wrong: Probably. In two recent posts I was commenting on thoughts arising as I was reading about the … Continue reading “Did Aesop Exist?”
Especially since reading Theodore J. Weeden’s Mark — Traditions in Conflict, and several other works influenced by Weeden’s thesis, I have tended to assume that the Gospel of Mark seeks to denigrate Peter and the Twelve. They are nothing but failures, “obtuse and wrongheaded” (John Drury’s phrase) in every way. Was the author of the gospel … Continue reading “If the Gospel of Mark Condemns Peter, Why Do We Sympathize With Him?”
Is it possible that our canonical gospels, even the apparently pioneering Gospel of Mark, were really composed well into the second century? The possibility has been argued by a few and I don’t discount it. I often find myself suspecting it is true although very often for the sake of argument I will assume that at … Continue reading “Aesop, Guide to a Very Late Date for the Gospels?”