Biblical Criticism & History Forum - earlywritings.com

But this scientific measurement of the solstice does not really help in defining exactly which day the ancients calculated and named as the solstice, although they did have armillary spheres that provided a good measurement. No doubt. That's why I asked for a source, because we are more interested ...

you don't have to be a math wizard to see that good Friday to easter Sunday is two days ("on the third day"), while Dec 21 to Dec 25 is four days (or on the fifth day, reckoned inclusively). Not exactly the same thing. Derp. But this is why we need actual sources . Because the discrepancy...

a solar religion You might want to define "a solar religion." A solar religion is a faith where perceived attributes of the sun are used as a basis for myths. For example, 'light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings" from Charles Wesley's famous Methodist Christ...

The idea that Christianity was not originally a solar religion is ridiculous. The extensive mentions of solar imagery throughout the New Testament make that clear, as do the persistence of solar and cosmic themes in Christian art and architecture and hymns and theology and ritual. The overall point ...

Hi Clive, I have now read Professor O’Neil’s essay on Easter. Thanks, it is informative. I have also read his book Early Astronomy from Babylonia to Copernicus which likewise is excellent, illustrating how concepts of measuring time and space have evolved. It all makes me think we should again refor...

But why do we assume that December 25th was the winter solstice when it wasn't? I'd be happy in believing it were any day of the year so long as someone can produce an ancient source (preferably antedating the phenomenon we are trying to explain, i.e. Christmas observance) showing that people back ...

Stephan, Your comment has some mistakes. It is illogical to say for Christianity to be based on observation its founders must have argued Christ would have been born on the solstice and not at Christmas. As I have already noted the religion builds in a three day gap between death and rebirth in its ...

Would not the new heaven and earth also have a new system of time? Would not "death where is thy sting" involve control of time? Maybe the arguments of the date of Easter had a "real" effect - they showed which was the true Church because that one carried out the correct rituals...

:banghead: Please Stephan, too much headbanging can bring on early dementia. I would not want you to get concussed from your careful study of astrotheology. The 'birth of the sun' is the first day the position of the sun on the horizon appears to move north to naked eye observation. That is Christm...

What is the earliest evidence we have to indicate that the Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus on 25th December prior to the 4th century? If we don't have such evidence then it looks pretty clear that this practice was commissioned by the imperial Christian State, and not before then. The date...