Peter James, et. al., ( Centuries of Darkness: A Challenge to the Chronology of Old World Archaeology ) are no fans of the “devout breed of archaeologist happy to dig with a trowel in one hand and a Bible in the other.” At the same time, they are critical of the knee-jerk skepticism . . . . Continue Reading »
Peter James ( Centuries of Darkness: A Challenge to the Chronology of Old World Archaeology ) notes: Going Ussher one better, “Dr John Lightfoot, author of the wonderfully titled A Few and New Observations on the book of Genesis, the most of them certain, the rest probably, all harmless, . . . . Continue Reading »
According to Josephus ( Antiquities , 2.10), Moses spent his youth leading Egyptian armies against invading Kushite/Ethiopians: “Moses, at the persuasion both of Thermuthis and the king himself, cheerfully undertook the business: and the sacred scribes of both nations were glad; those of the . . . . Continue Reading »
According to the Jewish historian Artapanus (quoted by Eusebius in his Preparation for the Gospel ), the Pharaoh of Moses’ nativity was Palmanothes, and his daughter, who rescued Moses, was named “Merris.” Josephus says that the daughter’s name was Thermuthis, Greek for . . . . Continue Reading »
My son Sheffield and some of his friends have launched a YouTube program. Also a dating service. You can find it here: http://www.youtube.com/user/greatgranduncletv . . . . Continue Reading »
Josephus ( Antiquities 1.3) says that the pre-diluvians lived a long time so they could make astronomical discoveries that required a lifetime of at least 600 years: “God afforded them a longer time of life on account of their virtue, and the good use they made of it in astronomical and . . . . Continue Reading »
A description of war in heaven from The Fall of Troy by Quintus of Smyrna sounds familiar to Bible readers: “Yet men feared not, for naught they knew of all That strife, by Heaven’s decree. Then her high peaks The Gods’ hands wrenched from Ida’s crest, and hurled Against . . . . Continue Reading »
I discuss the ancient question of the active and contemplative life over at http://www.firstthings.com/ . . . . Continue Reading »
What is modern politics? Kahn describes it as “a distinctive form of religious experience” that depends on the shift of sovereignty (Schmitt) from the monarch to the people. When the miraculous of sovereignty shifts, so does sacrifice: “The domain of sacrifice shifted [in modern . . . . Continue Reading »
Kahn ( Putting Liberalism in Its Place ) again, a wonderful passage on martyrological politics: “Hegel writes of the master-slave relationship as the origin of political history. The slave is not willing to die; he is a failed martyr. He grants others the power to script the meaning of his . . . . Continue Reading »
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