Someone arrived at this blog after searching for the keywords “Is Richard the polar bear lost”. Although it is possible that this individual knows, or knows of, a polar bear named Richard, and is wondering if said polar bear has gone missing, it seems to me more likely that this person is asking a question about the TV show LOST. So is Richard the polar bear? The polar bear was shot, so I’m going to go with the answer…NO. But,... Read more

Academics are notorious for coffee consumption – or tea in some cases. The caffeine helps us get through grading, teaching, and research. Many of us are also connoisseurs of the taste and appreciate a variety of special blends and roasts. I’ve thought of a great name for a coffee aimed at academic, liberal arts oriented coffee drinkers. I’ll leave it up to you to discuss the details of the blend and roast. But here’s what I think it should be... Read more

Here’s an interview with Terry O’Quinn who plays John Locke (or someone who looks like him most of the time) on LOST, talking about (among other things) God and good vs. evil on LOST. HT Doc Artz Read more

This is for those who weren’t able to attend the Goodwin chair installation ceremony and are curious what I talked about: Read more

Today in the religion and sci-fi class, we discussed some of the theological issues that arise at the intersection between Christianity and extraterrestrial intelligence, if the latter exists. The student who presented found a phenomenal number of images relevant to the subject. This one (found online here) is my favorite, as it sums up one of the theological issues that could arise, depending on how one understands incarnation and atonement: Read more

The ongoing conversation has shown yet another parallel between mythicism and creationism. On the one hand, it seems increasingly clear that there is strictly speaking no “evidence” for mythicism. Positive evidence for mythicism would presumably involve some actual indication that someone somewhere invented the story of Jesus, not merely as the novelistic historical fiction that is common in the ancient world, but as pure fiction. The discussion keeps returning to the “compatibility” of evidence with mythicism. But evidence is often compatible... Read more

John Loftus has posted on the fact that not all atheists are mythicists. He offers some examples, as well as asking why mythicism seems to be gaining so much popularity and credence among atheists nowadays. The comments thus far are what you might expect: assertions about the alleged strengths of mythicism’s case, and still no indication of what those strengths might be, or what the “case” consists of, for that matter. Read more

Via the library I’ve been informed or reminded that two of our oldest Bible codices, the Aleppo Codex (the oldest complete Hebrew Bible) and Codex Sinaiticus (which includes the oldest complete Greek New Testament), are available online. Read more

Here’s a thought about LOST. It is a theory, not a spoiler, but I think I may be on to something. The “candidates” have all been given numbers. Two things need to be noticed. First, one of them is numbered “42” and I’m quite certain that the producers chose knowing full well that 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything. Second, they are listed with only their last names. And so my guess is that #42, Kwon,... Read more

Shai is using Google Earth to map the literature and artifacts of religious groups in Babylonia, including the Mandaeans. LacusCurtius and Livius have a blog post about Philemon and slavery in the Greco-Roman world. Andie Byrnes shares another review of Roger Bagnall’s Early Christian Books in Egypt. She also shares a link to an online Coptic library, Coptica. New Scientist points to a new program, “Software Muse,” developed by IBM that enables bloggers to solicit readers’ input about what they should blog... Read more