Friday, September 28, 2012

"Wife" Papyrus Interesting, but Not Faith-Changing

"Does an ancient scrap of papyrus refer to Jesus' wife?" "How old is the writing on this piece of papyrus?" "And what difference does it make anyway?"


Scholars and scientists are arguing these questions this week, ever since a historian of early Christianity at Harvard Divinity School "identified a scrap of papyrus that she says was written in Coptic in the fourth century and contains a phrase never seen in any piece of Scripture: 'Jesus said to them, "My wife ...".’” (Laurie Goldstein, NYTimes Sept. 18, 2012)

According to the Goldstein article last week,  the next line visible on the fragment seems to read, "She will be able to be my disciple."

The tiny piece of papyrus may be historically ancient, having been authenticated by several experts in the dating of papyrus materials. But a Reuters article (available on NBCNEWS.com and NYTimes.com) reports that the Vatican calls the findings "a fake," challenging the authenticity of the writing that appears on the ancient papyrus. Although it seems probable that the piece of papyrus itself is in fact ancient, many scholars question whether the writing on the papyrus can be earlier than the twentieth century.

Details about Dr. King's findings will be featured in a forthcoming article in Harvard Theological Review.

But even if the authenticity of the writing were affirmed, the implications for our understanding of the historical life of Jesus wouldn't be as staggering as at first it seems.

At most, the writing would, in that case, simply indicate that certain ancient Christians believed Jesus to be married. Segments of the early Christian church believed many things that Christians today reject completely. Catholic tradition, which Catholics hold to have equal authority with Scripture, teaches definitively that Jesus was not married. Any belief that is briefly held by a segment of believers that does not have the backing of either Scripture or Tradition has no real consequences for contemporary faith.

On the other hand, the papyrus could refer to a spiritual bond between Jesus and his disciples. Evidence has existed for millennia to illustrate that marriage language has been used to talk about a spiritual connection between God and the Church or between an individual and Christ.

Without a larger context, though, there's no way to know for sure what the fragment means, specifically. But even the most literal interpretation of the phrase would neither add to our information about ancient beliefs nor impact contemporary Catholic teaching.

And regarding "women disciples," we know from Scripture that women "followed with" Jesus--a disciple is simply one who follows a teacher. (See NABRE LK 8:1-3, "accompanying him were the Twelve and some women..."  including Mary Magdalene.) And Paul describes some women as "co-workers" in a collegial manner.

But the controversy over women followers seems to center on whether the group known in the gospels as "the Twelve" are the only apostles whose ministry can be considered the forerunner of Roman Catholic priesthood. "The Twelve" were, by all accounts, all male (though the list of which men are included in "the Twelve" varies slightly depending on which gospel you read).

And cutting to the chase: Pope John Paul II has indicated that, based on Scripture and Tradition, the Church has no authority to change its stance in regard to women's ordination.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Advanced Year (CBS 300) Student Notice!

Are you using an older copy of the Abraham Heschel text, The Prophets? If so, you might have been perplexed by an inconsistency between the prophetic material covered in the lesson and the page numbers assigned. Apparently the page numbers have changed in newer editions of the book.

If in doubt, read the pages that "go with" the material you're studying: Read the chapter on Amos when studying Amos; the chapter on Hosea when studying Hosea, etc.

If you have the same (older) edition of Heschel, Volume One, that I have, here are the actual page numbers assigned for Year 3 (Advanced Year):


CBS 300 “Green” Book: Unit and Lesson Number
Pages Heschel’s The Prophets, Volume One
I.1
ix-26
I.2
27-38
I.3
39-60
I.4
61-79
I.5
79-97
I.6
98-102
I.7
103-119
I.8
119-133
I.9
133-139
II.5
145-158

Have fun with the prophets, my friends!

New Records and Communication System

Attention current Biblical School Students!*


The new communications system for the Biblical School is now online. You can access your own information at the following URL: http://www.stsregistrar.org/cgi-bin/CBS/cbsstudentlogin.pl

Please bookmark this URL or write it down somewhere you will always be able to find it. Program it into a note in your cell phone. Calling the OEEC for a reminder should be a last resort. Please avoid losing this information!

Here's what the login page should look like on your screen:


To log in, enter your password into the field below the blue "Please Login" notice. Your password was automatically generated for you by the system, in the following format: upper case initials (two or three letters, depending on whether you gave us a middle initial on your CBS application) followed by your eight-digit date of birth (DateMonthYear). So if you’re John Stuart Brown, born January 1, 1913, your password would be JSB01011913, or (if you didn’t give a middle initial) JB01011913.

*Instructors: Your access URL is different from the student login page. if you haven't already received your password and URL, call Jennifer or BJ at 860-242-5573, ext. 2679.

 *Graduates/alumni auditors: Your access URL and password format is the same as the student login page.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Oxford Atlas Geography Tasks - Year 1

For the convenience of CBS first-year students (or graduate auditors) who choose to use the Oxford Atlas in their studies, BJ provides the following amendments to the Geography Tasks in the workbook lessons, indicated below by Unit and lesson number (e.g., I.1 refers to Unit one, lesson one).

***NOTE that one or two lessons include slight alterations to the tasks themselves because of differences in the maps provided.***

In each workbook lesson, replace the words Hammond Atlas with the words Oxford Atlas and replace the given page numbers with the following page numbers from the Oxford Atlas:
                  
Unit and Lesson #
New page numbers and text (when applicable)
Unit and Lesson #
New page numbers and text (when applicable)
I.1
Oxford Atlas  p. 78 (No modern-day map for comparison)
I.6
Oxford Atlas  p. 78
I.2
Oxford Atlas  p. 78
I.7
no change
I.3
Oxford Atlas  p. 78
I.8
no Geography Task
I.4
Oxford Atlas  p. 78, “identify three (not four) of the deserts through …”
I.9
Oxford Atlas  pp. 78 and 72 (No modern-day map for comparison)
I.5
Oxford Atlas  p. 78. Do not try to locate Marah, Elim or Rephidim on this map.




II.1
Oxford Atlas  p. 72, 78 and 100
II.6
Oxford Atlas pp. 66-67, 72 and 84-85
II.2
Oxford Atlas  p. 78
II.7
Oxford Atlas  p. 72
II.3
Do not complete this geography task
II.8
Oxford Atlas  p. 72
II.4
no Geography Task
II.9
Oxford Atlas  p. 78
II.5
Oxford Atlas pp. 66-67, “find the mountainous region named in Genesis 8:4.”




III.1
Oxford Atlas pp. 84-85 (questions “a and b”), p. 100 (“d”) and Boadt, p. 204 (“c”)
III.6
Oxford Atlas  p. 92
III.2
Oxford Atlas pp. 84-85
III.7
Oxford Atlas pp. 92 and 105
III.3
Oxford Atlas pp. 84-85
III.8
Oxford Atlas  p. 105
III.4
Oxford Atlas p. 85
III.9
Oxford Atlas  pp. 110-11 and 124-125
III.5
Oxford Atlas pp. 92 and 100






         

Friday, September 14, 2012

Oxford Atlas Geography Tasks - Yr 2


Catholic Biblical School second-year students and St. Thomas Seminary CBS 200 students may have chosen to purchase the Oxford Bible Atlas to replace the out-of-print Hammond Atlas of Bible Lands that is referred to in student workbooks.
For the convenience of students who are using the Oxford Atlas, here are the following amendments to the Geography Tasks in the lessons indicated below by Unit and lesson number (e.g., I.1 refers to Unit one, lesson one).

Replace the words Hammond Atlas with the words Oxford Atlas in all lessons, and replace the given page numbers with the following page numbers from the Oxford Atlas:


Unit and Lesson #
New page #
Unit and Lesson  #
New page #
I.1
Oxford Atlas,  pp. 172-173; details of Herod’s Kingdom, p. 146
I.6
no change
I.2
Workbook Supplementary Reading #6; no modern map available in Oxford
I.7
no change
I.3
no change
I.8
no change
I.4
Workbook Supplementary Reading #6; Oxford Atlas,  p. 162
I.9
Oxford Atlas,  p. 162
I.5
Oxford Atlas,  p. 162




II.1
You’ll need several maps for this geography task: For all identifications, use the map on page 158-159 except for the following: Phoenicia use pp. 150-151; for Elam use p. 129; and for Judea use p. 133. [Do not search for Lydda, which is just south of Joppa, because it is not on any Oxford map.]
II.6
Oxford Atlas, pp. 138-139
II.2
Workbook Supplementary Reading #6; Oxford Atlas,  pp. 172-173
II.7
Oxford Atlas, p. 158
II.3
Oxford Atlas,  p. 158
II.8
Oxford Atlas, p. 158
II.4
Oxford Atlas, pp. 158-159 for all tasks. Estimate distances assigned.
II.9
Oxford Atlas, p. 159
II.5
Oxford Atlas,  pp. 158-159




III.1
No change
III.6
No geography task
III.2
Workbook Supplementary Reading #6; Oxford Atlas,  p. 162
III.7
Oxford Atlas, pp. 168-169
III.3
No geography task
III.8
Oxford Atlas, pp. 85-86
III.4
Workbook Supplementary Reading #26; Oxford Atlas,  p. 162
III.9
Oxford Atlas,  pp. 158-159
III.5
No geography task