Category: Antiquity
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The origin of Lent
According to The Oxford History of Christian Worship, “The basic lines of the Roman Lent…suggest the formation of this enormously complex system sometime in the late fifth century.” It continues, The forty-day Lent most probably began at Rome as a continuous preparation for Easter sometime in the late fourth century. Prior to that we can…
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The Hidden History of Women’s Ordination
The Times Literary Supplement has had a back and forth going on over the subject, originating in the September 23 review of Gary Macy’s book The Hidden History of Women’s Ordination. The review was written by Bernard Hamilton and says: In this study of the status of women in the Western Church in the period…
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Pompey enters the Temple
I have been reading Plutarch’s Lives this week. A few observations: Plutarch interprets Pompey’s actions with regard to Metellus (then praetor of Crete) in terms of Achilles. Plutarch also remarks of the pirates whom Pompey cleaned out of the Mediterranean that they “…knew neither god nor law.” Plutarch is interpreting events in Rome in light…