By Joseph Kelly
12/13/2006

The gospel accounts of the Nativity (Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2) do not say what day Jesus was born. There were attempts to calculate the day, but by the third century Christians realized this was impossible.

So they tried other ways to determine a date for Jesus’ birth:

- Many people believed the world was re-created on the first day of spring (March 25 of the Julian calendar followed in ancient Rome). How appropriate, then, for the world’s redeemer to become incarnate that day!

- Other scholars argued that Jesus became incarnate not at his birth but at his conception. If Jesus was conceived March 25, he would be born nine months later, Dec. 25.

This date didn’t catch on immediately, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean region where people believed Jesus was born Jan. 6. But in the West Dec. 25 had much appeal. Why?

Many Romans venerated the sun, whose birthday was Dec. 25, or a virility god named Mithra with the same birthday. Also, the Romans observed a raucous celebration called Saturnalia Dec. 17-23. Thus, Dec. 25 offered a date with a good theological basis that also would counter several pagan holidays.

Although we don’t know the final steps, in 336 the church at Rome officially observed the “birth day of Christ” Dec. 25. This tradition spread. But what about Jan. 6? The church decided to use that day for Jesus’ manifestation to the whole world, symbolized by the Magi.

The Magi were three kings, Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar, right? Not really. Matthew’s Gospel speaks only of Magi; it doesn’t call them kings, or say they rode camels or give their names.

The early Christians looked to the Old Testament for prophecies relating to Jesus. One prophecy in Isaiah said that foreigners traveling on camels would bring gold and frankincense to the Messiah, while a psalm spoke of kings coming.

Naturally the Christians interpreted the Messiah as Jesus, and the only foreigners who brought him gifts were the Magi. So by the third century we find Christians speaking of the Magi as kings riding camels.

How many Magi were there?

A great Egyptian scholar, Origen, found a Genesis passage in which three pagans honored the Hebrew patriarch Isaac. Origen said the three symbolized the Magi, but didn’t say why.

Names for the Magi do not appear until the sixth century; all are fictional. “Balthasar” may be a corruption of Belteshazzar, a Babylonian king in the Book of Daniel. “Melchior” may be a combination of two Hebrew words for “king” and “light.” And “Caspar” may derive from the name of an Indian king converted by early Christians.

These names first appear in the West in a sixth-century mosaic in the church of St. Apollinaris Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy.

The date for Christmas may have been settled by the fourth century, but legends of the Magi grew throughout the Middle Ages.

—

Joseph Kelly, the chair of the Department of Religious Studies at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio, is the author of The Origins of Christmas.

Tim Russert spells I-R-A-K (via First Draft: America hates Bush’s war):

Tim Russert goes to college:

Doctors Joseph Kelly and Valerie Flechtner, longtime members of, respectively, the faculties of Religious Studies and Biology, have co-written an engaging explanation of why the fervently advocated alternative evolutionary theories of Creationism and Intelligent Design are simply not good science. In a feature in which Kelly and Flechtner offer two separate polemics, Kelly concludes his argument with:”No thinking theist could possibly accept either creationism or intelligent design. Both ‘theories’ leave us with a creator/designer who is fallible, inefficient, dilatory, cruel and, most importantly, unintelligent. Theists can believe in a God who acts in creation, but they should not equate this deity with a pseudo-scientific Intelligent Designer.” Flechtner cuts to the chase by saying, ” …we must conclude that, whatever else ID may be, it is not science!”

I took a class taught by Dr. Kelly (Introduction to Religious Studies: Religion and Myth) twe mumbly muffly years ago. It’s good to see his attitude towards religious fundamentalism hasn’t changed. It’s also good to see faculty from my alma mater addressing Creationism and Intelligent Design.

Check out: They’re not really #1 and Liberty Debate Team, Take 3

– AND –

JCU team wins American Debate Assn National Championship:

Sean McClure ’07 and Chris Schroeder ‘09 won the American Debate Association National Championship for novice debaters at the annual tournament that concluded yesterday (Mar 12) at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

In the process John Carroll defeated #1 ranked Liberty University, a team receiving national coverage (Newsweek, The Colbert Report, CBS Evening News) no doubt in part because of the fact it is coached by Brett O’Donnell, who also coaches an individual named George W. Bush.

I wouldn’t care all that much but for the fact my alma mater was involved…

The concentration dependence of the diffusion coefficient of bovine serum albumin (BSA) was determined using data from osmotic pressure measurements and light scattering. The results showed that hydrodynamic interactions had a larger effect than was expected. A description of the procedures used to make the measurements and the data gathered are reported.

TRACE EVIDENCE NOW AVAILABLE IN BOOKSTORES AND ONLINE!

A NOVEL OF FORENSIC SUSPENSE BY ELIZABETH BECKA

Elizabeth spent the five happiest years of her life as a forensic scientist at the Cleveland, Ohio Coroner’s Office; now she works as a latent print examiner for a Florida police department.

ISBN: 1-4013-0174-6  Hyperion Press     $22.95 Hardcover

www.ElizabethBecka.com

REVIEWS:

“A smashing debut! This is grab-you-by-the-throat suspense, written by someone who has actually walked the disturbing walk of an investigator. Elizabeth Becka roars onto the forensic thriller scene with all guns blazing. ”
— Tess Gerritsen, author of Body Double

“The combination of a credible, likable hero and a bizarre, chilling story is rare in crime fiction, but in TRACE EVIDENCE, Elizabeth Becka makes the tumblers click perfectly. Protagonist Evelyn James, a forensic scientist, wins over the reader from the opening page, and the author’s ability to speak from different characters’ minds is truly astonishing. Expect comparisons to THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and a nomination for Best First Mystery of the year.”  
— Jeremiah Healy, author of Invasion of Privacy

“Get in on the ground floor of this series, which deserves to go straight to the top.  Elizabeth Becka isn’t just an expert in her field of forensic science, she’s a fine storyteller, and Trace Evidence should win her legions of fans.  Characters you’ll care about, edge-of-your-seat suspense, and fascinating details that never slow the action — just a few of the reasons you’re going to love the Evelyn James series.”
— Jan Burke, Edgar-winning author of Bloodlines

“Must-read forensic tale: A Cleveland-based mystery series makes a superb debut with Trace Evidence, a thriller about weary forensic expert Evelyn James and her quest to find a serial killer of young women.”
— Akron Beacon-Journal, July 17