Author: MR Dag Kihlman Publisher: Dag Kihlman Publish ISBN: 9789163929649 Category : Languages : en Pages :
Book Description
The Babylonian magi were famous for their ability to read the skies. They recorded and calculated the movements of the stars and planets, and thus laid the foundations for modern astronomy. However, their former capital, the city of Babylon, was slowly falling into ruin under the rule of the Parthian king, who occupied the country and endorsed the Greek culture. At around the time that Christ was born, the magi read in the night sky that the gods were planning changes: the Parthian king would die, and the dynasty would change. Their divination manual called the agent of this change the king of Amurru, and Amurru was their ancient name for the area from western modern-day Syria down to Israel and Jordan, where the dominant force at the time was the house of Herod. The skies could not tell them that a child would be born, since no such omen was known in their manual. However, the omens heralding the death of the king occurred on two different occasions; the first omen also foretold a very difficult birth, and the second omen was seen nine months later. It is likely that the magi included the birth in their interpretation, since the two omens are in full accordance with the two signs described in Revelation 12 in the Bible.
Author: Michael R. Molnar Publisher: ISBN: 9780813564715 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 187
Book Description
Tracing the possible origins of the Magi's star, the author uses an ancient Roman coin as a starting point to investigate the possibility that the legendary star may in fact have been an eclipse of Jupiter and the star Aries.
Author: George H. van Kooten Publisher: BRILL ISBN: 9004308474 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 718
Book Description
This book is the fruit of the first ever interdisciplinary international scientific conference on Matthew's story of the Star of Bethlehem and the Magi, held in 2014 at the University of Groningen, and attended by world-leading specialists in all relevant fields: modern astronomy, the ancient near-eastern and Greco-Roman worlds, the history of science, and religion. The scholarly discussions and the exchange of the interdisciplinary views proved to be immensely fruitful and resulted in the present book. Its twenty chapters describe the various aspects of The Star: the history of its interpretation, ancient near-eastern astronomy and astrology and the Magi, astrology in the Greco-Roman and the Jewish worlds, and the early Christian world – at a generally accessible level. An epilogue summarizes the fact-fiction balance of the most famous star which has ever shone.
Author: Mark Kidger Publisher: Princeton University Press ISBN: 1400887542 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 319
Book Description
Two thousand years ago, according to the Bible, a star rose low in the east and stopped high above Bethlehem. Was it a miracle, a sign from God to herald the birth of Christ? Was there a star at all, or was it simply added to the Bible to fulfill the Old Testament prophecy concerning the birth of the Messiah? Or was the Star of Bethlehem an actual astronomical event? For hundreds of years, astronomers as prominent as Johannes Kepler have sought an answer to this last baffling question. In The Star of Bethlehem, Mark Kidger brings all the tools of modern science, years of historical research, and an infectious spirit of inquiry to bear on the mystery. He sifts through an astonishing variety of ideas, evidence, and information--including Babylonian sky charts, medieval paintings, data from space probes, and even calculations about the speed of a camel--to present a graceful, original, and scientifically compelling account of what it may have been that illuminated the night skies two millennia ago. Kidger begins with the stories of early Christians, comparing Matthew's tale of the Star and the three Magi who followed it to Bethlehem with lesser-known accounts excluded from the Bible. Crucially, Kidger follows the latest biblical scholarship in placing Christ's birth between 7 and 5 B.C., which leads him to reject various phenomena that other scientists have proposed as the Star. In clear, colorful prose, he then leads us through the arguments for and against the remaining astronomical candidates. Could the Star have been Venus? What about a meteor or a rare type of meteor shower? Could it have been Halley's Comet, as featured in Giotto's famous painting of the Nativity? Or, as Kidger suspects, was the Star a combination of events--a nova recorded in ancient Chinese and Korean manuscripts preceded by a series of other events, including an unusual triple conjunction of planets? Originally published in 1999. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
Author: Aaron Adair Publisher: Onus Books ISBN: 9780956694867 Category : Astronomy in the Bible Languages : en Pages : 168
Book Description
The Star of Bethlehem: A Skeptical View is an analysis of the astronomical portent found in the Gospel of Matthew which supposedly led the Magi from the East to the birthplace of Jesus. Throughout history, people have tried to connect the Star to real, naturalistic phenomena, as well as to explain it in other ways. Adair takes a thorough look at all of these explanatory attempts, using the tools of science and astronomy, and finds them fundamentally wanting. Take a trip through the heavens above with Adair as he critically explores many centuries of flawed hypotheses, looking to answer the question "Did the Star of Bethlehem really exist?" This book is at the conjunction of science and religion. "Well researched, scientifically reasoned, elegantly concise, this book will long be required reading on the 'Star of Bethlehem'. Full of fascinating historical facts, and better informed and more careful than any other book on the subject, this should be on the shelf of everyone interested in that legendary celestial event." Richard Carrier, Ph.D., author of Proving History: Bayes's Theorem and the Quest for the Historical Jesus. "A fascinating and readable feat of hardcore historical legwork and keen scientific analysis." David Fitzgerald, author of The Complete Heretic's Guide to Western Religion: The Mormons. ..".tightly-argued, well-reasoned.... Adair masterfully demonstrates why every effort to rationalize the Star thus far has failed.... A concise and rigorous must-read for anyone interested in religion, history, and modern efforts to understand the past." Jason Colavito, author of The Cult of Alien Gods.
Author: Colin R. Nicholl Publisher: Crossway Books ISBN: 9781433542138 Category : Astonomy in the Bible Languages : en Pages : 0
Book Description
Drawing on the biblical text and using the latest astronomical research, this book presents compelling evidence that the historic star of Bethlehem that accompanied Christ's birth was actually a great comet.
Author: Dwight Longenecker Publisher: Simon and Schuster ISBN: 1621576566 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 225
Book Description
"The perfect Christmas gift for anyone interested in the historical background behind the birth of Jesus of Nazareth." — Robert J. Hutchinson, author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Bible, The Dawn of Christianity, and Searching for Jesus. "Utterly refreshing and encouraging." — Eric Metaxas, New York Times bestselling author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy and Martin Luther "The best book I know about the Magi." — Sir Colin John Humphreys, Ph.D., author of The Mystery of the Last Supper Modern biblical scholars tend to dismiss the Christmas story of the “wise men from the East” as pious legend. Matthew’s gospel offers few details, but imaginative Christians filled out the story early on, giving us the three kings guided by a magical star who join the adoring shepherds in every Christmas crèche. For many scholars, then, there is no reason to take the gospel story seriously. But are they right? Are the wise men no more than a poetic fancy? In an astonishing feat of detective work, Dwight Longenecker makes a powerful case that the visit of the Magi to Bethlehem really happened. Piecing together the evidence from biblical studies, history, archeology, and astronomy, he goes further, uncovering where they came from, why they came, and what might have happened to them after eluding the murderous King Herod. In the process, he provides a new and fascinating view of the time and place in which Jesus Christ chose to enter the world. The evidence is clear and compelling. The mysterious Magi from the East were in all likelihood astrologers and counselors from the court of the Nabatean king at Petra, where the Hebrew messianic prophecies were well known. The “star” that inspired their journey was a particular planetary alignment—confirmed by computer models—that in the astrological lore of the time portended the birth of a Jewish king. The visitors whose arrival troubled Herod “and all Jerusalem with him” may not have been the turbaned oriental kings of the Christmas carol, but they were real, and by demonstrating that the wise men were no fairy tale, Mystery of the Magi demands a new level of respect for the historical claims of the gospel.
Author: Publisher: Canongate U.S. ISBN: 9780802136169 Category : Bibles Languages : en Pages : 100
Book Description
The publication of the King James version of the Bible, translated between 1603 and 1611, coincided with an extraordinary flowering of English literature and is universally acknowledged as the greatest influence on English-language literature in history. Now, world-class literary writers introduce the book of the King James Bible in a series of beautifully designed, small-format volumes. The introducers' passionate, provocative, and personal engagements with the spirituality and the language of the text make the Bible come alive as a stunning work of literature and remind us of its overwhelming contemporary relevance.
Author: Saffi Crawford Publisher: Ballantine Books ISBN: 0307489728 Category : Body, Mind & Spirit Languages : en Pages : 842
Book Description
The most complete, comprehensive birthday forecast available--synthesizing the secrets of astrology, numerology, and fixed stars! In this delightfully addictive, wholly accessible book, two skilled astrologers guide you toward greater psychological insight, self-awareness, and a keen understanding of your unique position in the universe. Packed with an extraordinary wealth of knowledge and clear, easy-to-interpret graphs and charts, The Power of Birthdays, Stars and Numbers provides: ¸ BIRTHDAY FORECASTS--366 profiles--one for each day of the year--reveal your positive and negative personality traits, career strengths, tips on love and relationships, your secret self, your best days for romance and friendship, potential fatal attractions, famous people who share your birthday, and much more! INCLUDING! ¸ FIXED STARS--Though astrologers have used fixed stars for centuries, now the general public can reap the rewards of this classic method for enlightenment. The stars that line the heavens radiate great power, depending on your date of birth. You'll learn your primary fixed star plus those that influence your astrological chart. ¸ NUMEROLOGICAL PROFILES--Discover the importance of the nine basic numbers, and learn how to calculate your holistic number (which reveals your life purpose) and your personal year number (which sheds light on what specific lessons a particular year has in store for you). Travel beyond the twelve signs of the zodiac and tap into The Power of Birthdays, Stars and Numbers. You hold centuries of wisdom in your hands.
Author: Markham J. Geller Publisher: John Wiley & Sons ISBN: 1119062543 Category : Literary Criticism Languages : en Pages : 246
Book Description
Utilizing a great variety of previously unknown cuneiform tablets, Ancient Babylonian Medicine: Theory and Practice examines the way medicine was practiced by various Babylonian professionals of the 2nd and 1st millennium B.C. Represents the first overview of Babylonian medicine utilizing cuneiform sources, including archives of court letters, medical recipes, and commentaries written by ancient scholars Attempts to reconcile the ways in which medicine and magic were related Assigns authorship to various types of medical literature that were previously considered anonymous Rejects the approach of other scholars that have attempted to apply modern diagnostic methods to ancient illnesses
Author: MR Dag Kihlman
Author: Michael R. Molnar
Author: George H. van Kooten
Author: Mark Kidger
Author: Aaron Adair
Author: Colin R. Nicholl
Author: Dwight Longenecker
Author: 
Author: Saffi Crawford
Author: Markham J. Geller