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Category Archives: History
What Would You Do?
In October I attended the 2012 World VegFest in San Francisco, sponsored by the San Francisco Vegetarian Society (SFVS). It was an inspiring event. Towards the end of the festival, I heard a very interesting story about how the SFVS … Continue reading
Posted in History, Vegetarianism / Veganism
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This Just In: Jesus was Married!
Karen King, a Harvard Divinity School scholar whom I greatly respect, has submitted a draft of an article for the Harvard Theological Review discussing a Coptic gospel fragment which refers to Jesus having a wife. This is now all over … Continue reading
Does Digitization Decrease Empathy?
James McWilliams recently asked whether the digitization of communications decreases empathy, and thus potentially our empathy with other humans and animals. He talks about e-mail between students and professors, “butchered” grammar in e-mail being used to substitute for the student … Continue reading
Posted in Ecological Economics, History, Urban Life
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The Jesus movement and the Dead Sea Scrolls
Here’s what James Tabor says about the connection between the Jesus movement and the Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran: “The Jesus movement can best be described as a radical, nationalistic, anti-religious establishment, messianic, apocalyptic, baptizing, new covenant, wilderness-way movement–and … Continue reading
The Abolition of Slavery and Veganism
Can we compare the abolitionists in the animal rights movement, who will settle for nothing less than the abolition of all animal exploitation, with the abolitionists in the anti-slavery movement of the 18th and 19th centuries? Absolutely! But I would … Continue reading
What Caused the Civil War?
Today is the 150th anniversary of South Carolina’s secession from the Union, the action which precipitated the Civil War. Edward Ball has written an opinion piece in the New York Times clearly blaming slavery as the root cause of … Continue reading
Priestly Pedophilia: A Systemic Evil
By Clem De Wall Except for the Catholic hierarchy, few have been satisfied with Vatican excuses for priestly pedophilia. Instead, there are outcries for reparations, admissions of guilt and swift punishment. Some advocate reforming the celibacy rule. I would go … Continue reading
Did the First Followers of Jesus have a Bible?
There is a marvelous passage relating to scripture, reflecting Ebionite views, in Homilies 8.10: “The only good God having made all things well . . . appointed a perpetual law to all, which neither can be abrogated by enemies, … Continue reading
Eating at the Table of Demons
One of the critical issues in the early church was the “table of demons.” Both the Ebionites and Paul discuss this with great energy. So, what is the “table of demons” and should we avoid eating there?
Jesus in the Temple
Just before his death, Jesus went into the temple and disrupted the business supporting the temple operations, by driving out all those who were buying and selling the sacrificial animals. It was this act which led to his arrest … Continue reading