Category Archives: on Sacred texts

“Christmas comes again”—so begins one of my favourite songs of this festive season, perhaps the most convivial of times reserved for celebration, for gathering together in high-minded good will and good cheer. Yet, there are some who are perturbed by … Continue reading →

Part 7—The Evangelists Before considering the works of the four evangelists, it needs to be noted that the gospels (and Acts) are not histories, but catechetical-theological tracts meant for teaching and preaching. Some opine they were written to supplement the … Continue reading →

Part 6—Paul and the God-fearers Paul began as a Jewish Pharisee erethismic to end the heresy being proffered by Jesus’ disciples. He underwent a conversion and began to fervently preach that which once he sought to extirpate. As a pious … Continue reading →

Part 5–Jesus Jesus enjoys a sparkling reputation in the modern West. Images of the good shepherd abound. Even troubled times in ages past whose sense of woe produced a plethora of images depicting the great and fearsome judge worked to … Continue reading →

Part 4—Power groups within Judaism in the time of Jesus Some note must be made of the power groups that emerge in the few generations before Jesus (specifically: priests, Sanhedrin, scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, zealots, Essenes). These each had their distinctive … Continue reading →

Part 3—Ten items of note regarding Jewish history Israel–First, while Israel was the name of the northern kingdom, after its fall, the name is appropriated by the south as the indicative of its faith and race. The name Israel has … Continue reading →