Apocryphal Traditions in Homily by Theophilus of Alexandria

December 27, 2011 by Tony

Alin Suciu has an interesting post about reconstructing a Coptic Homily on the Virgin Mary by Theophilus of Alexandria. The homily contains some apocryphal traditions about the Magi and the death of Zachariah, the latter derived from the Protevangelium of James.

60 Minutes on the Vatican Library

December 27, 2011 by Tony

The Christmas broadcast of 60 minutes featured a short piece on the Vatican Library. Watch it HERE.Earlier this year they did a longer documentary on the monasteries (and libraries) of Mount Athos (HERE).

York Secret Mark Symposium Papers Coming Soon

December 21, 2011 by Tony

The papers presented at last Spring's Symposium on Secret Mark—Ancient Gospel or Modern Forgery? The Secret Gospel of Mark in Debate—have been accepted for publication by Cascade Books. I am currently editing the papers and hope to have the manuscript to the publisher in February.

There are plans also for another York Christian Apocrypha Symposium, but not until 2013. It was unlikely that we would receive funding without some "outcome" from the first symposium, and there was some delay in securing a contract in time for funding proposal season. We do not know yet what the topic will be for 2013, but I will post information when it becomes available.

The Nativity in Social Media

December 19, 2011 by Tony

Grrr. Sorry, I don't know how to embed the video, but here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkHNNPM7pJA&lr=1.

Revelation of the Magi in BAR

December 8, 2011 by Tony

The latest issue of Biblical Archeology Review (Nov./Dec. 2011) has a feature on the Revelation of the Magi, a text published in English for the first time by Brent Landau last year. An excerpt from the story is available on-line at the BAR site.