In the most recent issue of the JBL Journal (vol. 136. no 2, pp. 381-303) Armin D. Baum offers us an article entitled "Content and Form: Authorship Attribution and Pseudonymity in Ancient Speeches, Letters, Lectures, and Translations--a Rejoinder to Bart Ehrman". The article is in general agreement with Ehrman (as I am) that there was no such things as 'harmless' pseudepigraphy, that is a using of someone else's name without an attempt to deceive some audience. There are exceptions to this … [Read more...]
A Fourth of July Reminder
July 4, 2017 by
Thanks to Mark F. and Sparrow cartoons for this and other cartoons that appear on this blog. … [Read more...]
Despicable Me 3— Gru and Drew
July 3, 2017 by
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a_DCNuWFXYThe challenge of sequels is of course trying to do or say something fresh, so that it's not just a rerun. To that end, Despicable Me 3 trots out: 1) a twin brother for Gru; 2) a 'unicorn' for Agnes; 3) a new villain named Benjamin Bratt though he's so 80s, totally retro (complete with mullet, M.C. Hammer shoulder pads, and lots of 80s music, cue Michael Jackson's 'Bad', etc.). At 90 minutes it should be short enough to keep anyone's attention, … [Read more...]
Camino Island– Grisham and the Literati
July 3, 2017 by
There are many reasons to read John Grisham novels not the least of which is to figure out why so many Americans do read him in an age of non-reading! Of course some of his novels are much better than others. When you are as prolific as John, this is bound to be the case. All of them are readable (yes I've read all of them except some of the children's books), some of them are real page turners, some of them are good legal thrillers, and some of them are just plain fun or interesting. What … [Read more...]
When were the Dead Sea Scrolls actually Found?
June 29, 2017 by
Here is a fascinating blog post, which I am reposting here, by my friend Philip Jenkins. See what you think. BW3Alternative Scriptures: Finding the First Scrolls June 12, 2017 by Philip JenkinsI began this “Alternative Scriptures” series by noting the discovery of a “Dead Sea Scroll” type manuscript in the Genizah of a Cairo synagogue, in the 1890s. Tracing the probable history of that document tells a fascinating story.This “Zadokite Fragment” originated either at Qumran or anothe … [Read more...]
Is Apostasy Possible for Christians? Hebrews 6 says Yes
June 28, 2017 by
THE EXEGETICAL ARM-WRESTLING OF PROTESTANTS OVER HEB. 6.1-6—A ‘TASTE’ OF THE DEBATETheological systems, while not bad in themselves, can often lead to very strained interpretations of Biblical texts, especially when the ‘system’ is the primary intellectual grid through which the text is being read. This can easily be illustrated from a close reading of Protestant commentaries on Heb. 6.1-6 since the Reformation. Here we will simply summarize how the differences usually play out when either a … [Read more...]
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