Biblical Criticism & History Forum - earlywritings.com

After noting that science was not a high priority for early Xian theologians, RC pointed out that that can easily explain the decline of science and science education after the 4th cy., when Xianity was made the Roman Empire's official religion. It also did not help that not many people learned Gre...

I'm currently reading Images of Rebirth by Hugo Lundhaug. (About the Gospel of Philip and the Exegesis of the Soul ) I still don't find the post-baptismal chrismation in Philip stromg evidence in itself for a late date, but cumulatively I am convinced that the Gospel of Philip in its present form is...

She first gives an in-depth textual analysis of the martyrological accounts of Stephen and Polycarp. In the former, she argues that Stephen’s forgiving his persecutors actually influenced the portrayal of Christ forgiving his persecutors. In the latter, she states that Polycarp is a conflation of C...

a question, please: are you sure that, in the passage of Clement quoted by you, the words ''before Jerusalem was founded'' are alluding to ''his resurrection and assumption'' etc (actions of Jesus ) and not instead to the finding of prophecies in the old books ? Thanks in advance. FWIW there is a d...

Another brief sideline note. The connections between the young man and Christian baptism are tantalizing insofar as they would seem to answer some pressing questions but also to raise more questions, especially regarding the subtlety of some of the connections: how could the average ancient reader,...

Andrew, I don't think Epiphanius is saying the naked youth is like James. Epiphanius is saying the naked youth is James. The words used by Epiphanius could mean either. However, since the second option seems to contradict other views held by Epiphanius, (i.e. the age of James), we should probably p...

From Eusebius: And so he suffered martyrdom; and they buried him on the spot, and the pillar erected to his memory still remains, close by the temple. This man was a true witness to both Jews and Greeks that Jesus is the Christ. And shortly after Vespasian besieged Judaea, taking them captive. It h...

I don't think Epiphanius is identifying James with the young man in Mark 14:51-52. (Epiphanius believes James died at 96 which would make him too old to be a young man when Jesus was arrested.) I think Epiphanius just means that James was generally dressed as scantily as the young man in Mark. Andre...

Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 1.21: Flavius Josephus the Jew, who composed the history of the Jews, computing the periods, says that from Moses to David were five hundred and eighty-five years; from David to the second year of Vespasian, a thousand one hundred and seventy-nine; then from that to ...

Yes, watching Harry Potter. Ignore that. This is perplexing too: Even Genesis long ago promised Paul to me. Among those figures and prophetical blessings over his sons, when Jacob had got to Benjamin he said, Benjamin is a ravening wolf: until morning he will still devour, and in the evening will d...