Reflections on learning about early Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism

“Typically, Jewish history and Christian history are taught by different teachers; they are even considered different disciplines. As Oxford don Geza Vermes points out in his introduction, this book is unique; it is a parallel history of early Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism, an attempt to trace their stories side by side.”

– Hershel Shanks, in his Foreword to “Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism: A Parallel History of Their Origins and Early Development,” page xv

What is “Rabbinic Judaism,” and when (and where) does it come from?

Judaism was the first of the major Abrahamic religions, and the only one until the advent of Christianity in the first century. Since it is still around today, Judaism is by far the oldest of these religions. You might already know that it is today split into many different camps. But the vast majority of these camps could be classified (in one form or another) as “Rabbinic Judaism.” What is “Rabbinic Judaism,” you might be wondering? It is simply Judaism where a “rabbi” is important, because “rabbi” is the biggest root word of the word “Rabbinic.” “Rabbinic Judaism” was born shortly before the advent of Christianity, although it seems not to have been known by that name at that time.

An artist’s rendition of the Temple of Solomon, sometimes known as the “First Temple”

A review of William Lloyd Garrison’s “The Liberator” (audiobook)

“On this subject, I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house is on fire, to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hand of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen; -- but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest -- I will not equivocate -- I will not excuse -- I will not retreat a single inch -- AND I WILL BE HEARD.”

– First issue of William Lloyd Garrison’s “The Liberator,” in a column entitled “To the Public” (published January 1, 1831)

William Lloyd Garrison campaigned tirelessly against the institution of slavery. For 35 years, he published an influential antislavery newspaper that was aptly titled “The Liberator.” It had a modest circulation of only 3,000, but there were many influential people in its readership. These included the former slave Frederick Douglass, who would go on to become a tireless antislavery campaigner in his own right.

My deep and abiding love of the Bible

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

– The New Testament, “The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy,” Chapter 3, Verses 16 and 17 (as translated by the King James Version of the Bible)

My childhood experiences with the Bible

I was raised in a Christian religion, and grew up going to church every Sunday with my family. Thus, my education in the Bible began at a very young age; and I was fortunate to have good Christian values planted in me at a very early age. I grew up with the great stories of the Bible, from the Creation and Exodus found in the Old Testament, to the Nativity and Easter stories found in the New Testament. The Bible is filled with great stories, and I am convinced that this is part of its great power to influence humanity to do good and become better people. Children latch on to the stories of Joseph in Egypt, David and Goliath, and Daniel and the Lions’ Den; and their power is not lost on adults – they still have the power to grab and move people, even in their old age.

My favorite painting of Jesus Christ

The Gettysburg Address explained

If you feel like you don’t understand the Gettysburg Address, this post is for you.

What the heck does “Fourscore and seven years ago” mean?

When people think of the Gettysburg Address, the first thing they think of is the opening phrase: “Fourscore and seven years ago.” Most people don’t even know what a “score” is, so perhaps I should define it for my readers. A “score,” in this context, is an older way of saying “twenty.” Thus, “Fourscore” is four times twenty (which is eighty), and “Fourscore and seven” would be eighty-seven. Lincoln was giving this speech in 1863. If you do the math, 1863 minus 87 gives you the year 1776 – the birth year of this country.

Sketch of Abraham Lincoln giving the Gettysburg Address

A review of “Technical Traders and Commodity Speculators” (audiobook)

So I was recently listening to some additional presentations from an audio series about investment. This particular installment was called “Technical Traders and Commodity Speculators.” I found out that it was actually two presentations: one about “The Technical Traders,” and one about “The Commodity Speculators.” Both were as interesting as I expected them to be, and brought back fond memories of my days as a business major.

A review of “Crashes, Booms, Panics, and Government Regulation” (audiobook)

So I was recently listening to some presentations from an audio series about investment. This installment was called “Crashes, Booms, Panics, and Government Regulation.” I found out that it was actually two presentations. One was called “Crashes, Booms, and Busts,” and the other was called “The New Deal and Government Regulation.” Both were more historical than I would have thought, which added to the appeal for someone like me.

A review of the BBC’s “The Normans” and “The Normans: The Complete Epic Saga”

There’s a reason that 1066 is the best remembered year in British history. In that year, the Normans invaded England. They are the last people ever to do so successfully. Others have tried since then (notably Napoleon and Hitler), but none of them have succeeded. This is known in English history as “the Norman Conquest” – or sometimes, just “the Conquest.” But who were the Normans? Where did they come from? How did they come to be in France – and then, later, in England? Did they engage in conquests elsewhere in the world? And why, after all of their successes, did they suddenly disappear from the pages of history?

These are complicated questions, and researching them brings a number of surprising answers. But two documentaries are especially good at delving into this subject. They are the BBC’s “The Normans” and “The Normans: The Complete Epic Saga.” I considered reviewing them separately in two different blog posts, but the overlap between them is quite considerable. Thus, it may make sense to cover them together here, and show their relative advantages and disadvantages. Each of them covers some things that the other doesn’t, and brings a unique perspective to some of the events that both of them cover.