18
votes
What was the reason Jesus allowed Christians to eat pork?
Jews and Pigs
We don't really know.
The problem with this one is that lots of people have plausible-sounding reasons for the prohibition. Lots of people have implausible-sounding reasons for this too. ...
- 110k
13
votes
Why can't the gospel of Mark be as late as 110 CE?
The question needs a couple of frame challenges. Dating solutions for the gospel of Mark do range from ~40s–140s.
It is correct to say that the most common/popular/conventional dating would put Mark ...
- 77.2k
7
votes
Accepted
How old is the practice of wearing your "Sunday Best" to church?
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED2) lists Sunday best and Sunday's best under the lemma Sunday, but does not provide literary citations for these terms. The oldest instance I could find dates to the ...
- 777
6
votes
Accepted
Who are the Cathari in the Canons of the council of Nicaea?
The relevant text of the canones from the Nicean Council of 325 is as follows:
Canon VIII.
Concerning those who call themselves Cathari,
if they come over to the Catholic and Apostolic Church, the ...
- 77.2k
6
votes
Where are the relics of Anthony the Great?
The presumed relics are in the church of St. Julien in Arles, preserved in a glass casket. His skull and a leg bone are in the Church of St.Trophime in Arles. (Source: link).
They were originally not ...
- 1,125
5
votes
What were the neoplatonists' attitude towards Christianity (or religion in general)?
There were Christian Neo-Platonists like John Philoponus and pagan Neo-Platonists like Proclus, who lived in Alexandria and Athens respectively. Philoponus wrote a famous refutation of Proclus' (and ...
- 9,473
4
votes
How did Hitler view Fr. Denis Fahey, Fr. Leonard Feeney, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis?
Is there any information concerning Hitler having views on any of these men?
J.R.R. Tolkien
Since most of the publications, for which J.R.R. Tolkien is now known for were published after 1945, Hitler ...
- 6,896
4
votes
Do most scholars (including secular ones) agree upon four historical facts about Jesus of Nazareth?
No, absolutely not.
William Lane Craig is a well known biblical scholar and a Christian apologist. I've seen many of his debates, and can't say I'm impressed by the strength of his arguments. I've ...
- 17.8k
4
votes
Around 1640s, at what time did people eat Christmas dinner?
Around 1640s, at what time did people eat Christmas dinner?
It is quite common knowledge the in times prior to modern conveniences such as electricity and natural gas for cooking the main meal would ...
- 1,904
3
votes
Accepted
Where are the relics of Anthony the Great?
In reality this is much disputed, although each theory is 'the only true one.'
We see traditions for: his original unknown grave, a tomb below a monastery in Egypt, remaining in Alexandria, remaining ...
- 77.2k
2
votes
Did any contemporary sources write about Jesus?
The first part of Joseph Klausner's Jesus of Nazareth: His Life, Times, and Teaching contains a rather thorough discussion of the existing sources, even though it has to be noted, that the book is ...
- 712
2
votes
Why can't the gospel of Mark be as late as 110 CE?
After making a timeline of Jesus and early Christianity, it seems to me very difficult to date Mark gospel later than during the 80' decade. I'm not expert in the topic, but Mark's gospel fits well ...
- 2,008
1
vote
Accepted
What was at the start of Early Roman codices?
I've read many ancient texts, but I'm not sure how many of them were copied in a early Roman codex like you mention. Some Greek text from Egypt might have been originally writen in codex format ...
- 2,008
1
vote
Why can't the gospel of Mark be as late as 110 CE?
I thank LangLangC for his answer, which helpfully points out that at least some modern scholars, motivated by the hypothesis of Marcionite priority, are willing to consider much later dates for Mark. ...
1
vote
Accepted
Did the Byzantine Empire persecute Christian sects?
The Orthodox Church of Byzantines persecuted Christians that did not agree with official Church dogma. For example the Christian sect of Paulicians, known as Bogomils, Patarens or Babuns, etc. in ...
- 34
1
vote
Did any contemporary sources write about Jesus?
As a lot of people have said, there are many people who were mostly only written about after their death in the ancient world. However, there were people who wrote about Jesus around the time of his ...
- 731
1
vote
What caused the imposition of strict celibacy for Catholic priests during the 11th century?
What caused the imposition of strict celibacy for Catholic priests during the 11th century ? [...] I am looking for reasons outside of scriptural reasons [...] that would influence the catholic church ...
1
vote
What sort of Cardinals were Richelieu and Mazarin?
What sort of Cardinals were Richelieu and Mazarin?
Let us start with Cardinal Mazarin.
He was a Cardinal Priest.
Mazarin, O.P., Michel (1605-1648)
Birth. September 1, 1605, Pescina, Abruzzi. Baptized ...
- 1,904
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