Daily Archives: June 25, 2010

Scripture—Standing Above the Church

Posted on June 25, 2010 by jamesbradfordpate

In the assigned readings from Jacob Lauterbach’s Rabbinic Essays, I notice the following passage from page 209: In the opinion of these democratic lay teachers…the right to decide religious questions given in Deut. 17.9ff. to the priests was not given … Continue reading →

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Lessons from a Spiritual Loser?

Posted on June 25, 2010 by jamesbradfordpate

Alise has a good post today, Putting my money where my mouth is.  She asks near the end of her post: “Do you think you could enjoy a Christian song if you found out that it was written by an atheist?” … Continue reading →

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Gnostics; Tensions in Rabbinic Judaism

Posted on June 25, 2010 by jamesbradfordpate

1.  I read Birger Pearson’s “Jewish Elements of Gnosticism and the Development of Gnostic Self-Definition.”  According to Pearson, Gnostics “identify themselves ontologically with the highest God and understand themselves as originating ‘from the Primeval Father’ (Hyp. Arch. II.96.19-20).”  He further … Continue reading →

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