Codex Escalada
Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 8:18 am
The disputed text has several parallels to the "Gospel of Jesus Wife."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Escalada
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Jesus%27_Wife
(1) Both were privately tendered directly to a scholar who was calculated to be sympathetic (Father Escalada, Karen King).
(2) Both addressed relevant current-day concerns (existence of Juan Diego, Jesus' wife speculations) and are otherwise nothing new.
(3) Both are on a single page of material that is demonstrably old
(3)(a) It's easier to get hold of a single page to use as a canvas
(3)(b) It takes less work to finish the fraud
(3)(c) There is less chance of making an inadvertent error in a smaller text
(4) Both have implausibilities and unlikely coincidences for authenticity (of a non-physical-test sort)
Given that the review process for authenticating finds is well-known, to the extent that some characteristic signs of authenticity can be faked (like using an old parchment), many tests may only prove consistency either with authenticity or with fraud. I wonder how many other frauds like this are out there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Escalada
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Jesus%27_Wife
(1) Both were privately tendered directly to a scholar who was calculated to be sympathetic (Father Escalada, Karen King).
(2) Both addressed relevant current-day concerns (existence of Juan Diego, Jesus' wife speculations) and are otherwise nothing new.
(3) Both are on a single page of material that is demonstrably old
(3)(a) It's easier to get hold of a single page to use as a canvas
(3)(b) It takes less work to finish the fraud
(3)(c) There is less chance of making an inadvertent error in a smaller text
(4) Both have implausibilities and unlikely coincidences for authenticity (of a non-physical-test sort)
Given that the review process for authenticating finds is well-known, to the extent that some characteristic signs of authenticity can be faked (like using an old parchment), many tests may only prove consistency either with authenticity or with fraud. I wonder how many other frauds like this are out there.