www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Archeologist unearths biblical controversy

I will let the matter drop. If Berean wishes to discuss with me the topic of literal interpretation privately, I can be reached at

josephthur@yahoo.com

On other matters ...

Archeaological proof for the Bible has been getting bad press these days. Even the supposedly authentic jar from the Temple in Jerusalem that is on the front cover of the book I just wrote a review for is fake. Between that and the fake tomb of James, I would be cautious about what the media is publishing these days. Anything that comes from the media these days should be looked on with suspicion. BTW, a friend was so happy when he found Adam's apple. It was lying next to the Holy Grail;)

Joe

refer to one of my posts in this thread. I said that archaeology is not infallible. mistakes can be made, a lot of which is based on wishful thinking, thinking that you will find what you are looking for, thinking that you have found it, and it turns to be something else. I wish I could think of names of ardheaologists that are in the Biblical field, but 99% of my library is in storage as I am in a state of transition. Call Tennessee Temple University (Chattanooga) and ask for Kevin Woodruff, the librarian, he can recommend a number of books. read and learn.okay?
Much Love,
Jonn

Dear Joe,

Well, one of the great things about those who hold to literalist interpretations about the Bible is that there is much less "fudging about" with the commandments and moral imperatives of the Scriptures!

I know Evangelical Christians who hold to literalist interpretations of the Bible, even when they, in some cases, become Orthodox Christians.

THEN they become literalist interpreters of the Canons of the Church.

For example, the canons that unequivocally declare the Divinity of Christ.

They are simply adamant about a literal interpretation of that and don't care what the latest creedal fad is!

I respect those who have literalist interpretations of the Creation etc.

I asked one Creationist lobbyist who was in here the other day about the fossils.

Well, he said, God probably created them too to test our faith.

Hmmm . . . interesting, I thought!

However, in the OT, there is a line that says that God WILL in fact produce miracles at pagan shrines JUST to test His servants and see if they really believe in Him or whether they are ready to jump ship and run after the pagan gods etc.

Our Church venerates Sts. Adam and Eve et al.

The story of Adam and Eve was serious enough for Our Lord to address it in his life and Crucifixion.

I don't have a problem with it.

If we can believe, as we do, that God became Man in Christ - what can be really impossible with God?

Alex

That is one of the great blessings of God to his Sacramental Churches, is bringing men sold out to the Word of God into the Church. They are on fire and when the fullness of the truth is understood and shared it comes with the fire of the Holy Spirit. It burns the chafe from the wheat.

As I have shared before, we have a priest here who was a Southern Baptist minister. He would go to EWTN and prepare his sermons, Fr. Bean said it was the quietest place he could find, although he knew we were pagens. The point bening he prepared his sermons sitting in front of our Eucharistic Lord.
He has been a Roman Catholic Priest for two years now. Totally on fire, they bring all of their love of God and talents with them. What a blessing!

We also have an Epicopalian Priest waiting for permission. An awesome man of God!

Pani Rose

Dear Pani Rose,

It's almost as if our future priestly candidates would even BENEFIT from a stint in a Protestant church . . .

RC's who would want to be married in the Latin Church would probably get a great benefit if they are received back as married ministers . . .

(Alex, stop that, stop that now!)

Alex

BRAVO!
I couldn't have been any more eloquent than these two fine people posting above me.
Much Love,
Jonn
:p

I'm sure they will have better luck than Eastern Catholics.

Alex,

Even if you believe in Evolution there had to be a first human being. So, science thus dictates the first Chapter as fact.

Someone once said, "If you can't trust the first Chapter of the Book what good is the rest?"

Okay now, here is one. The Greeks have a custom of hanging gold or silver representations around the miraculous icon, of the part of their body that was miraculously cured.

Now when I was in ancient Corinth, I was taken into a back room of a museum. In it were representations of parts of the body, similar to the one's in the shrines. The curator said that a certain doctor was known for his cures and was worshipped as a god.

The pagans did have miracles...or was it magic? No matter, the pagan gods were demons anyway.

Zenovia

Dear Alex,

What about a devorced former Roman Catholic that remarries in the Orthodox faith? I know of one on an Orthodox forum, that said as an Orthodox, he was now able to receive the Eucharist in the RC Church.

You can imagine the reaction. It was not a very 'conciliar' forum.

Zenovia

Hello friends,

If one can imagine that in this verse 'light' is a reference to Instruction, Guidance, Order... then we're on to something:

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. Genesis 1.3

The light in verse 3 has not a thing to do with physical light (we get that from the sun, moon and stars!); it has to do with the rabbis' understanding of Torah. Torah is instruction, guidance, order, etc., etc.

Light follows: And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

[a Jewish day begins at sunset-- night comes first, then the Day breaks!]

That is what the psalmist is getting at when this is sung!:

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalms 119:105 To what is the 'word' a reference? Torah!!! :-) blessing, wg