tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post6335140992039127481..comments2024-03-27T02:22:05.365+00:00Comments on Geoff's Shorts: Guest post - is Christianity without merit? Daniel RodgerAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10548882212024368758noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-820111873595915992012-07-17T02:01:16.377+01:002012-07-17T02:01:16.377+01:00Just read something you gents (Geoff and Daniel), ...Just read something you gents (Geoff and Daniel), and others interested in the subject of infanticide/abortion in the 1st century. David Instone-Brewer has an article “Infanticide and the Apostolic Decree of Acts 15.” Of relevance here is the first four pages which provide quite a bit of background for pagan practices of infantice/abortion, and Judaism and Early Christianity’s vehement rejection of those practices. Instone-Brewer then moves beyond this and attempts to carefully show that the Apostolic Decree in Acts 15:20 includes a prohibition on infanticide. He manages to show some interpretive problems with Acts 15:20, but when his argument then offers to try and show that the decree (ambiguously) forbids infanticide, the arguments falls apart a bit, and I’m pretty unconvinced by it. But again, I’m recommending it based on the first couple pages which include quite a bit of useful information. For instance, while I knew Jews refused to kill a child if it were an inconvenience (such as a girl instead of a boy), I didn’t know they also refused to kill a baby who was physically challenged, deaf-mute, a hermaphrodite or some kind of sexually uncertain child. Anyway, here’s a link to the pre-pub version, http://www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/Tyndale/staff/Instone-Brewer/prepub/Infanticide_and_the_Apostolic_Decree.pdf<br /><br />If anyone wants to cite it or use it for some formal purpose, e-mail me, as I have the published version (I believe the content is the same, but I suspect the pagination might be slightly off).Ronaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15282432756526411165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-51247904782308255562012-06-27T02:46:36.740+01:002012-06-27T02:46:36.740+01:00Daniel, thanks for the recommendation.
As far as...Daniel, thanks for the recommendation. <br /><br />As far as full-fledge commentaries on the Didache go, I’m afraid I’m not so familiar with the document to be picky about which commentaries I use. Beyond that, they tend to be fairly expensive. I only dabbled around with the Hermeneia one, and it was very informative for my purposes (and fairly cheap, in comparison to others). Aside from that, I have tons of journal articles on the Didache that I’ve procured from my school’s database that I’m still working through. It’s definitely a document that needs much more work produced on it (the supposed Eucharist liturgy possibly being a Jewish aftermeal blessing especially needs more attention). <br /><br />If you’re a student and have access to its database, I’d just recommend starting there, simply because I see more work being done on the Didache in journals than elsewhere. In any event, I’ve dedicated this year’s studying to the Talmud and Early Christian writings, so maybe hit me up next year. :)Ronaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15282432756526411165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-64507760256753665482012-06-26T15:14:49.029+01:002012-06-26T15:14:49.029+01:00Ronald, what commentaries would you recommend that...Ronald, what commentaries would you recommend that are must haves for these sorts of areas? On the non-commentary side 'Early Christian Writings' is fascinating and you could probably pick it up for a dollar off Amazon.failedatheisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16176322877697068624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-65780830751546938132012-06-26T14:32:59.814+01:002012-06-26T14:32:59.814+01:00Geoff, as always, you're too kind. I suppose p...Geoff, as always, you're too kind. I suppose part of what I know comes from spending less and less time on Facebook - the other part comes from just copying from commentaries. I can't even imagine what would happen to my brain if I could read as fast as you can :)<br /><br />Daniel, the Didache IS extremely interesting! Just wanted to echo that...Ronaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15282432756526411165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-83911288261893313022012-06-26T08:35:40.995+01:002012-06-26T08:35:40.995+01:00Yeah great quote, I recently got a copy of the did...Yeah great quote, I recently got a copy of the didache it's extremely interesting and the condemnation of both abortion and infanticide that early is fascinating.failedatheisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16176322877697068624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-69320050386286010982012-06-26T06:39:57.115+01:002012-06-26T06:39:57.115+01:00Ronnie, your skull must literally be buckling unde...Ronnie, your skull must literally be buckling under the weight of all this knowledge. I'm not sure what your career plans are, but if a letter of sterling recommendation from an atheist would ever hold any benefit for you, do let me know.<br /><br />Daniel, I suggest you ask nicely about borrowing that quote. Don't forget to cite :-)Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17925999586920385972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028643425691313983.post-67985291817908256312012-06-26T01:09:09.836+01:002012-06-26T01:09:09.836+01:00Interesting topic. The subject of infanticide and ...Interesting topic. The subject of infanticide and Judaism/Early Christianity recently came to my attention while reading the Didache (and a commentary on it). For some reason, I was surprised by the Didache's strong language against abortion/infanticide (2:2 & 5:1-2), considering how early the writing was and how there didn't appear to be any admonition against infanticide in the NT. <br /><br />Turns out, just about every Jewish and Christian writer surrounding (but not including) the canon of the NT spoke out openly against abortion and infanticide. Philo, Josephus, Epistle of Barnabas, Tertullian - even the Apocalypse of Peter paints an ugly ending for those who have killed an un/newborn. <br /><br />I thought the Hermeneia's commentary on the relevant verses in the Didache were interesting, especially the last sentence:<br /><br />"This passage . . . offers the oldest explicit Christian instance of the prohibition of abortion. But it is certain that from the beginning, Christians, following Old Testament and Jewish custom, rejected abortion. That there is no specific prohibition of it in the New Testament is accidental."Ronaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15282432756526411165noreply@blogger.com