After I mentioned Paul Regnier’s draft on my blog, Jim West complained that he had hoped the post would offer my own definition of mythicism. Since I plan to contribute to the Wiki too, I thought I should offer my own summary. And so I began writing this post. But then a commenter named Ian summed it up more succinctly than I was going to. He wrote: man->myth or myth->man That sums it up well. In a nutshell, while mainstream... Read more
Paul Regnier shared on his blog that he has written an introductory statement for the TalkHistoricity Wiki, and asks for feedback on it. Please do click through, give it a read, and offer feedback and suggestions! Read more
The classic study of The Four Gospels by B. H. Streeter is available online. I am linking to the chapter on the end of Mark’s Gospel because of my longstanding interest in that subject. Streeter drew the conclusion that John 21 was the lost ending of Mark. I think that putting it that way is problematic, but I do think that John 21 reflects knowledge of a lost ending of the Gospel of Mark, knowledge of which is also reflected... Read more
Lyrics: There’s a garden in the valley There’s a beauty I could never conceive In this paradise I dream of I have known it though it’s never been seen I remember I was falling Someone took me by the hand I was burning in the sunlight Now in the shade I stand (Chorus) The Tree stands tall It’s mighty branches cover all No wind can bend It’s majesty will never end In it’s shadow no illusion In this place... Read more
Thanks to Rod at Political Jesus for pointing out that there will be a conference in July about science fiction and fantasy, held under the auspices of the Orthodox Church in America. It is called Doxacon. There’s something very cool about a sci-fi and fantasy conference which features Vespers and other elements of divine liturgy! In related news, we are working on having a one day conference in England in October on religion and Doctor Who. The provisional date is... Read more
David Hayward’s cartoon today depicts a church where questions are not permitted. There is also a church where explanations are not permitted, which I blogged about previously. In that case, it is in fact a result of somewhat awkward and unfortunate English composed by someone that is not a native speaker. The meaning is that tour guides are not to walk around the church giving explanations, since it is not a museum but a place of worship. The notion that... Read more
I had a conversation today with a colleague connected with the campus ministry that extended the invitation to Answers in Genesis to speak at their lunchtime gathering this coming Thursday. He appreciated my concerns and criticisms, and would love to have an alternative perspective represented at a future meeting. And so I am writing this to ask whether there are any biologists who are Christians, or Christian scholars whose work has focused on creation in the Bible, who are not... Read more
Jim West has posted some of his views on homosexuality from time to time, including posts which are so ridiculously illogical as to be bizarre. But when he says that someone who disagrees with him isn’t a Christian, he’s gone too far. The irony is that Jim embraces the work of historical minimalists with respect to ancient Israel – people whose historical conclusions lead them to dismiss the factuality of much of the material that conservative Christians assume to be... Read more
Here is the lineup for the Traditions of East Late Antiquity Exploratory Session that will take place at AAR in November: From Jerusalem to the Karûn: What can Mandaean Geographies Tell Us? Charles Häberl, Rutgers University “On the Creation of Adam”: A Greek/Syriac “Kephalaion” from Titus of Bostra’s Contra Manichaeos Timothy Pettipiece, University of Ottawa The Creation of Disaster: Ritual Error in the Creation Stories of Ptahil and Zurvan Jennifer Hart, Stanford University Pahlavi and Periodization: The Use and Value... Read more
If one compares the most recent Doctor Who episode “The Rings of Akhaten” with the episode “The Aztecs” from the very first season, an interesting change in the Doctor's outlook about religion and human sacrifice emerges. In “The Aztecs” the Doctor is emphatically opposed to Barbara's interference in an attempt to change history. It may be that that concern was largely pragmatic – paradoxes are created if you tamper with a past that you are directly connected with. But it... Read more
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