In our previous post, we examined the pagan backgrounds of Christian practices that take place most often in Sunday worship services. Here we will look at special liturgies of the Christian church and miscellaneous Christian practices that have roots in the goddess and god cults of antiquity. Special liturgies Weddings and marriage. According to the […]
Past
Blog posts relating to the past such as women in antiquity and early church history
Christian Practices and Their Indebtedness to the Goddesses and Gods of Antiquity, Part I: Sunday Liturgies
As we have noted on several occasions, Western civilization as we know it emerged in a polytheistic (multi-deity) environment from the earliest times. The beginnings of the West as we know it today can be traced to the Middle East. The Jewish man Jesus of Nazareth lived from about 4 BCE (Before the Common Era) […]
Nurses, Ancient Goddesses and Healing: Reclaiming the Power of the Feminine Principle
Introduction Nurses throughout the United States, and indeed throughout the world, have been on the front line of care during the pandemic. They are among the heroes in our communities, but we know that they are facing severe challenges as individuals and as a profession. There has been a nursing shortage for years, and that […]
Persis: Another Female Colleague of St. Paul’s
Previously we have examined the women around St. Paul, noting that, contrary to comments about women incorrectly attributed to him that have been used to oppress women in both church and society, Paul actually worked closely with many women in leadership positions and had great respect for them. Most of the women in these positions […]
In Solidarity with Ukraine
The thoughts and prayers of Americans and citizens around the world are with the Ukrainian people in their time of crisis. With the news changing almost hourly, we cannot begin to chart in this space what is happening on the ground. Instead, we will here try to offer some perspective on their very ancient and […]
The Letters of St. Paul, Authentic and Inauthentic: Lessons from the Household Codes
We have examined the legacy of St. Paul and his letters to the early Christian communities several times in the past. We have noted that one of the ways that Paul communicated with original Jesus followers in the first century was through his letters (epistles) and that a number of letters in the New (Christian) […]
The 2021 Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature: Reflections on the Professional Study of Religion
The Society of Biblical Literature (SBL), founded in 1880, no longer focuses primarily on literature – the texts of the Bible in their original languages (Hebrew for what is generally referred to as the Old Testament and Greek for the so-called New Testament). The Society’s international membership of over 8,000 is open to professionals and […]
Index to the Sixth Year October 2020 – October 2021
Thank you for your interest in these blog posts! Here is a listing by topic for posts since October 2020. (Some topics overlap.) Social and Racial Justice, Diversity Thanksgiving Takeaways: Honoring Traditions and Educating Ourselves with New Data and Insights, November 27, 2020 The Band-Aid Approach: The Inadequacy of Charitable Giving for Tackling Social Problems, […]
Archaeological Discoveries and the Pursuit of Social Justice
The mission of the Archaeological Institute of America reads, in part, “The AIA promotes archaeological inquiry and public understanding of the material record of the human past to foster an appreciation of diverse cultures and our shared humanity.” The values of the Archaeological Conservancy, as stated on their website, include the following: “The Archaeological Conservancy […]
Joanna and Susanna: Two Lesser-Known Women around Jesus
“After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the […]