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Nazareth Then and Now
Ancient Nazareth lacked the critical advantages for its development as a significant settlement: abundant water supply, an elevated site for defensive purposes, and strategic location adjacent to a major highway. The most comprehensive recent study of the archeology of ancient Nazareth and its local region was completed by Ken Dark over several seasons between 2004…
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The oldest hatred
Presentation to a panel discussion sponsored by the Jewish Council of Australia at St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane on Monday, 29 September 2025. The topic of the event was: Should anti-Semitism be exceptionalised or should we combat all forms of racism together? Co-hosts for the event included: Doykeit (a local Jewish group in Brisbane), St John’s…
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Epiphany 2C (20 January 2013)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 Introduction 3 Jesus in the Epiphany Cycle, Year C 4 Miraculous wine at a wedding in Cana 5 Metaphor and Truth 6 Jesus Database 7 Liturgies and Prayers 7.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary Isaiah 62:1-5 & Psalm 36:5-10 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 John 2:1-11 Introduction This week many faith communities will be settling…
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An (un)Common Book of Hours
Peter Watkins has edited a set of reflections based around the weekday and Sunday readings from the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL). An (un)Common Book of Hours is available only as a digital text (eBook) and can be purchased online at Smashwords for just US$4.99. The editor reflects on the project in his Preface: My…
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The Baptism of the Lord (13 January 2013)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 Introduction 3 The baptism of Jesus in early Christian tradition 4 Commentary 5 Jesus Database 6 Liturgies and Prayers 6.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary Isaiah 43:1-7 and Psalm 29 Acts 8:14-17 Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 Introduction In the introduction to An Uncommon Lectionary, John Beverley Butcher comments on the pivotal significance of…
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Re-dating the Galilean synagogues
Interesting to see Jodi Magness is now arguing that the Galilean type synagogue was not developed until a couple of hundreds year later than most scholars had previously proposed: see the Biblical Archaeology Review story Christian and Jewish scholars tend to like dates as early as possible, as that suggests greater historicity for the biblical…
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The Epiphany of the Lord (6 January 2013)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 Introduction 3 Commentary and Critical Notes 4 Jesus Database 5 Liturgies and Prayers 5.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary Isaiah 60:1-6 and Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 Ephesians 3:1-12 Matthew 2:1-12 Introduction The Feast of the Epiphany of our Lord concludes the traditional twelve days of Christmas with a celebration of the universal significance…
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Christmas 1C—Feast of the Holy Family (30 December 2012)
Contents 1 Lectionary 2 The Childhood and Family of Jesus 3 Jesus Database 4 Liturgies and Prayers 4.1 Music Suggestions Lectionary 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 & Psalm 148 Colossians 3:12-17 Luke 2:41-52 The Childhood and Family of Jesus The first Sunday after Christmas is often observed as the Feast of the Holy Family. In…
