EPS Annual Meeting 2011

EPS Annual Meeting 2011

I will be presenting: “Jesus & Pagan Mythology” Thursday Night, November 17th at the Evangelical Philosophical Society’s Annual Meeting in Berkeley, California. On Friday Night, November 18th, I’ll be presenting “Super Market Savior: Why Christ in a World Embracing Many Beliefs?” at the 5 Words Apologetics Student Conference, Calvary Chapel in Petaluma, California. The student conference will be taught by some of the best student communicators anywhere! Brett Kunkle & Alan Shlemon of Stand to Reason will be there as well as Doug Powell of Selfless Defense and Nathan Hanson of Jesus University. The EPS Apologetics Conference routinely features the very best in Christian thought.

Phoenix

Phoenix

I will be in Phoenix June 10th-15th. I am looking for a church or churches on the north side of Phoenix to speak at Sunday morning and evening. Do you have a few recommendations you can send me? I really appreciate it!

Topics: Islam, Implementing Apologetics in Women’s Ministry, Is the Story of Christ a Copy of the Pagan Myths?, Why Christ Alone in a World Embracing Many Beliefs

While in Phoenix, I will be speaking at the Smart Faith Conference where myself, Brett Kunkle, Neil Mammen, Shawn White & Letitia Wong will equip Christian youth to stand firm in their faith. For more information about this camp, check out: SMART FAITH CONFERENCE
My husband and I will also be attending the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting during our stay in Phoenix. We will be messengers for our home church, Nassau Bay Baptist Church. For more information about this meeting, check out: SBC ANNUAL MEETING
A Question for Rob Bell: Whose God Rose from the Dead?

A Question for Rob Bell: Whose God Rose from the Dead?

Rob Bell’s new book, “Love Wins,” was released this week and in anticipation numerous bloggers have begun the critique of Rob Bell’s Hell (his doctrinal view). After I watched Bell’s television appearance with Martin Bashir, I can understand why so many people are convinced that his position requires a public refutation. Even Bashir questioned what he thought was Bell’s rewriting of the Christian doctrine to a more contemporary, popular, and palatable view, but one that wasn’t historically responsible or defensible as church doctrine. Since numerous folks are covering this issue, I am not going to address this particular doctrine. I noticed something else that needed to be addressed, because it lacked scholarly sources for the claims put forth. This post will be a response to Bell’s interpretation of the Mithraic mysteries as presented in his Nooma video #15.The reason I’m a little late to the ball is directly due to my desire to contact Pastor Bell before refuting him publicly. As a fellow follower of Christ, it was important to me to offer him a chance to respond, first, before saying anything about his view in public and to let him know that I would be offering a public refutation of his material. This is a courtesy I wish would be extended to me from fellow Christians, though unfortunately rarely happens. I sent an email at the start of last week through the contact form on his church website. Perhaps a little more digging would have profited me with a better means of communication, but I assume someone is checking the emails there. I have not heard back from him or anyone yet, but I will keep my hopes up that a response is forthcoming. For now, I will explain the incorrect material relayed in the Nooma #15 video.In the introductory portion of Bell’s presentation, he makes some historical claims about Mithras, Attis, and emperor worship. Unfortunately, these claims are just not true. Back in my Biola University days, I did my master’s thesis on the syncretistic arguments between the mystery cults and the early worship of Jesus. I specifically focused on Osiris, Horus, and Mithras. Therefore, I will briefly address Mithras as the basis for why I question his accuracy in utilizing this material. I believe as Christians, especially ones with a large platform, we should take much precaution to utilize good sources so that we are passing along truths in every area possible. Why should folks trust us with the gospel message if we fail to present accurate facts in other areas?[i] Bell’s Introduction Pastor Bell states that Mithraism was an influential religion of the first century and Mithra’s “followers believed he was born of a virgin, he was a mediator between God and humans, and Mithra had ascended to heaven.” He also makes similar comments on the god, Attis, and discusses a little about emperor worship. After discussing the emperor worship, he states, “In the first century, to claim that your God had risen from the dead and ascended to heaven, well it just wasn’t that unique. The claims of the first Christians weren’t really anything new. Everybody’s god had risen from the dead. What makes yours so special?”I believe what Pastor Bell is trying to create is a mood or setting by which to contrast the gospel message with the messages of the other views in the early days of Christianity. However, I was left with a sense of failure on this endeavor. He set up an account of the first century culture that seemed to best fit with his point, rather than demonstrating a commitment to accuracy. If I was not a Christian, I would view this video as a failure to convince me that Jesus was any different from these other gods after listening to Pastor Bell establish that Jesus was not any different. Why should I follow Jesus if I prefer another version of the same story, such as Mithras? Bell’s case for Christ simply did not deliver on this point. Inaccuracy of the Presentation Now to the more serious accusation: inaccuracy. First, Pastor Bell states that Mithras’ Roman followers believed he was “born of a virgin.” The Roman god Mithras was born of a rock near the banks of a river under a sacred tree.[ii] As he came forth from the rock, he grasped a dagger in one hand and a torch in the other, which he used to illumine the depths below (from whence he came). So unless, there is some evidence that springing out of a rock meant the same thing in first century Rome as birth from a human female who had never had sexual intercourse, the first century Roman Mithraic followers did not believe Mithras was born of a virgin. Plus, Pastor Bell’s telling of the story of Mithras is as though these facts are widely evidenced. However, there are no written accounts of the Roman Mystery of Mithras of any substantive nature.[iii]Bell says Mithras, “ascended to heaven.” In Franz Cumont’s 1903 account of this story, using the Iranian/Persian sources, he tells us that Mithra (not Mithras) partook of a meal with the sun, Helios, after completing his mission on earth to protect humans against the evil god, Ahriman. “He then ascends to the heavens with the gods. Borne by the Sun on his radiant quadriga, Mithra crossed the Ocean, which sought in vain to engulf him and took up his habitation with the rest of the immortals.”[iv] This is quite a different picture than that of just Jesus ascending to the Father after his resurrection. Mithra also never loses an earthly battle and he never dies; he is ever-victorious. The later Roman god, Mithras, was also popularly worshiped amongst the Roman soldiers because of his notoriety for being “invictus.” While there are some noted similarities between the gods, Mitra, Mithra, and Mithras, Mithraic scholars have argued for nearly a century whether or not the Roman version of Mithras is an evolutionary view of the antecedent Iranian/Persian versions.[v] By utilizing all versions of the stories blended together in order to set up a point, Bell did not portray an accurate picture of the historical Roman worship of Mithras. ConclusionFinally, I think the obvious problem that should be noted is Bell’s statement, “Everybody’s god had risen from the dead. What makes yours so special?” In the Roman worship of Mithras, there is no recorded death story. Hence, there is also no resurrection story. So, from the evidence we have on Mithras, we can know that not everybody’s god died nor did everybody’s god rise from the dead. How can a comparison be conscionably made between Jesus’ resurrection story and a non-existent resurrection story? This comparison is illogical and should not be made. I would respond to Pastor Bell’s rhetorical question by answering that Jesus actually died and rose from the dead. Therefore, the early Christians had a very unique story if they were approaching Mithraic worshipers in the first century with the good news! MJ

For more information on Attis, please see Edwin Yamauchi’s article entitled, Easter: Myth, Hallucination, or History? at http://www.leaderu.com/everystudent/easter/articles/yama.html
For more information on emperor worship, please see James White’s refutation of the Nooma video #15 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsVkeMZCkOg. He also points out an important response to Paul’s “new message” when he preached the resurrection on Mars Hill in Athens.
Also, I recommend Ronald Nash’s book, The Gospel and the Greeks: Did the New Testament Borrow from Pagan Thought? P&R Publishing, 1992, 2003.
You can also listen to my podcast The Story of Christ and the Pagan Mytery Stories on iTunes.

[i] I know that we will all make mistakes, so I’m not looking for perfection here. I am looking for a responsible use of the sources available to convey historical facts.
[ii] “Born of a rock,” see Franz Cumont, The Mysteries of Mithra: the Origins of Mithraism, 1903; Internet; available from http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/mom/index.htm; accessed on 3 May 2008, 16. See also Robert M. Grant, Gods and the One God, ed. Wayne A. Meeks (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1986), 122. See also: Elmer G. Suhr, “Krishna and Mithra as Messiahs,” Folklore, vol. 77, no. 3. (Autumn, 1966), 205-221.
[iii] N.M. Swerdlow, “Review Article: On the Cosmical Mysteries of Mithras,” review of David Ulansey, “The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries: Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World,” Classical Philology, vol. 86, no. 1 (Jan., 1991), 49.
[iv] Franz Cumont, The Mysteries of Mithra: the Origins of Mithraism, 1903; Internet; available from http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/mom/index.htm; accessed on 3 May 2008, 138. Italicization mine.
[v] Bruce Lincoln, “Mitra, Mithra, Mithras: Problems of a Multiform Diety,” review of John R. Hinnells, “Mithraic Studies: Proceedings of the First International Congress of Mithraic Studies,” History of Religions, Vol. 17, No. 2, (Chicago: University of Chicago, Nov., 1977), 200. Or as Arthur Darby Nock states, “The evidence is scant.” Arthur Darby Nock, “The Genius of Mithraism,”The Journal of Roman Studies, Vol. 27 (1937), 109.

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EPS Apologetics Conference Instructor

EPS Apologetics Conference Instructor


Mary Jo will be presenting “Is the Story of Christ a Copy of the Pagan Mystery Stories?” Saturday, November 21st at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (Sellers Recital Hall) from 10:50 – 11:45am. Come to the earlier session (9:45-10:40) and catch Mike Licona of the North American Mission Board or Sean McDowell for the Youth Track. Come at 8:30 and catch Greg Koukl of Stand To Reason Ministries.

The EPS/ETS and EPS Apologetics Conference has been packed with great knowledge and concern for the lost. The connection between Apologetics & Evangelism is striking. Make plans to attend next year’s conference in Atlanta!

Roger

Flawed Theory in Zeitgeist, the Movie

Flawed Theory in Zeitgeist, the Movie

According to the makers of “Zeitgeist, the Movie,” the worship of Jesus is explainable as another outcrop of apotheosis (human figure exalted to divine status and therefore worthy of worship), as just another divine figure in the “religious cafeteria”[1] of the first century pantheon of gods, or perhaps a product of astrology. But is this explanation reconcilable to the actual historical and demographical evidence of first century Palestine and of the earliest surviving Christian writings? No. The earliest demonstration of the “cultic” worship of Jesus is by Second-Temple Jewish believers.[2] Though, as will be shown, this is an extremely important piece of Christianity’s development, “Zeitgeist, the Movie” completely ignores this fact.

The Second-Temple Jewish believers were unquestionably influenced culturally by the Hellenism brought from the Roman occupation of their lands.[3] But what historians must do is look at exactly how these Jewish believers were influenced, and in what areas of life. One area in which they were influenced was language. There are Greek copies of the Old Testament, known as the Septuagint; clearly demonstrating that some of the Jewish people spoke/read Greek. However, it does not follow that these people were therefore influenced in religious practice. This kind of conclusion requires more specific evidence.

What we do know about Second-Temple Jewish believers is that their devotion to the “One God” stuck out amongst the menagerie of pagan deities surrounding them. The Jewish adherence to God’s uniqueness can be seen in various non-rabbinic texts of the Jewish provenance: Sibylline Oracles (3.11-12, 545-61; cf. 4.27-32; 5.172-76; 493-500), Letter of Aristeas (132-38), Wisdom of Solomon, (13-15), and references in Philo and Josephus.[4] The First Book of Maccabees also describes Jewish devotion to the One God specifically with regard to the Hellenistic influences (1 Maccabees 2:15-26). From the Old Testament, worship of any other gods was established as detestable and vile. “If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed,” as found in Deuteronomy 8:19. Also, in Deuteronomy 13: 6-9, “If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, ‘Let us go and worship other gods’ (gods that neither you nor your fathers have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people.” So what can be inferred from these evidences is the believers of Second-Temple Judaism not only disallowed influences of the pagan religions on their belief structure, but also vehemently opposed this activity.

The young Christian movement, located entirely within Second-Temple Judaism, associated Jesus with worship of and devotion to the One God; while at the same time showing disdain for worship of the multiple deities of the Roman environment. The earliest writings of Christianity (c. A.D. 50-60) by the apostle Paul demonstrate this very idea. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul describes his praise of the new believers for their conversion “to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, who he raised from the dead – Jesus who rescues us from the wrath that is coming” (1:9-10). Also, in 1 Corinthians 8 through 10, Paul addresses the Gentiles with regard to leaving behind their pagan religious practices. He advises them to completely shun any former pagan practices in light of their conversion to the one true God (through Jesus Christ).

The idea of abandoning all other deities was uncommon and dissimilar to the pagan mystery religions. The apotheosis stories and other pagan deities cannot show the same devotion to worship of one God. The earliest Christian writings disdain these very religions for their practices and establish a totally new kind of “theology”; namely, Jesus was to be identified and worshiped as the one, true God, not supplanting God, but as a part of God’s identity. The makers of “Zeitgeist, the Movie” need to satisfy the question of why the earliest Christians, who were Second-Temple Jewish believers, would create a theology influenced by the pagan deities in light of the historical evidence that these people abhorred pagan worship and deities. Speculation and surface similarities of worship practices will not suffice to explain the historical Jewish faith or the Christian sect that developed from Judaism in the first century.

MJ

[1] Hurtado, Larry. How Did Jesus Become a God? Historical Questions about Earliest Devotion to Jesus. Cambridge, Eerdmans Publishing Company: 2005, Pg. 25
[2] The name “Second Temple Judaism” has become popular in more modern scholarship to describe the religion of the Jewish people who practiced their faith in the time frame of the rebuilding of Solomon’s temple to at least the time of the destruction of this second temple in AD 70.
[3] For further study: Martin Hengel. Judaism and Hellenism: Studies in Their Encounter in Palestine During the Early Hellenistic Period. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2003.
[4] Hurtado. How Did Jesus Become a God? Pg.118
© Mary Jo Sharp 2007

“Resurrection” Myths vs. Resurrection of Jesus – Mithras

“Resurrection” Myths vs. Resurrection of Jesus – Mithras

– This is the third in a series of posts on resurrection myths by Mary Jo

Main Question: Was the story of Jesus’ resurrection unique in the first century or did other written accounts of resurrections like Jesus’ exist before or during the time period of the New Testament writings?


Why Mithras? There is so much hype on the internet, TV, and airwaves about the similarities between Christianity and Mithraism. I recently saw a YouTube video of a British television show claiming that Christianity was based on Mithraism. The host declared this as if it was evidenced, historical fact!

Some writings I have read on Mithras suggest that Christianity is a more highly evolved and refined version of the story of Mithras. Usually, several similarities are referenced with this claim; these can be read at the Tektonics website article on Mithraism: “Mighty Mithraic Madness: Did The Mithraic Mysteries Influence Christianity?” Upon reading the historical evolution of the god, Mithras, though, I have come to be very skeptical that Christianity borrowed worship rituals and sacred texts from this ancient Iranian god. The similarities stand upon little to no evidence from the ancient world. I am particularly concerned that the evidence for these similarities is only found in the Roman worship of Mithras; dating about the same time as the Christian faith was flourishing. Due to the Roman absorption of the deities of cultures they conquered, a much better explanation is a Roman incorporation of Christianity’s appealing aspects into the rituals and symbolism of Mithraism.

The Cult of MithrasIranian/Persian – Mithra
Hindu – Mitra
Roman – Mithras (later)

“Mitra” = contract

Mithra was the preserver of law and order. Also was the god of war, described as riding his four-horsed golden chariot against the demons and their worshippers.

NAMA MITHRAS, DEUS GENITOR RUPE NATUS’ – Holy Mithras the God born from the Rock.[i]

The story:
Mithra was born of a rock on the banks of a river under a sacred fig-tree. As he came forth from the rock he clenched a dagger in one hand and a torch in the other hand, which he used to illumine the depths from which he came. After Mithra had clothed himself in fig-leaves he took to subjugating the beings already created in the world. He did so by first measuring his strength with the sun; afterwards he concluded this endeavor with a treaty of friendship, being that he was a god of contracts. These two allies have supported each other ever since.

In Iranian creation mythology, there exists a primeval ox that contained the “germs”[ii] of the animal species and even a certain number of useful plants. Mithra is supposed to have attacked the primeval ox with help from his ally, the sun. He seized the beast by the nostrils with one hand and plunged his dagger into the ox’s flank with the other.[iii] As Mithra killed the beast, the “germs” of life spilled out and brought forth life to the earth.

Mithra was not the Supreme Being that created the universe in the Iranian mythology. Instead there are two beings representative of good and evil which are Ahura Mazda, the good being, and his arch rival, Angra Mainyu who came from the abyss of endless darkness. In this story, Ahura Mazda created life, and Angra Mainyu formed evil demons to assist him in his battle against Ahura Mazda. Mithra was a created “god,” the god of contracts and law.

Around the 6th or 7th century B.C., the prophet Zoroaster (also known as Zarathustra) further shaped the “inherent dualism”[iv] of Persian faith by making Ahura Mazdah[v] alone worthy of absolute worship. In doing so Zoroaster, eclipsed the worship of the god, Mithra, but further refined Mithra by setting him up as part of a threesome of gods that judge the souls of man. “The threesome Mithra, Sraosa, and Rasnu also figure as judges of the souls of the dead, with the “righteous Rasnu” as the special weigher of men’s deeds.”[vi]

Roman Worship of Mithras
Rome originally came into contact with Mithraism through Cilician pirates somewhere around 67 BC according to Plutarch, the Greek writer. The worship of Mithraism spread through Rome via the military camps and was attractive to young warriors. The Roman emperors known to have worshipped Mithras were Commodus (reigned 180-192 AD), Septimius Severus (reigned 193-211 A.D.), Caracalla (reigned 211-217 AD) and Geta (reigned 209-212 AD.) Mithraism flourished under these and subsequent emperors.[vii] “The most detailed descriptions of Mithras are found in the religious texts of ancient India and Persia, which preceded the Roman worship of Mithras by many centuries. The Roman evidence for Mithras, on the other hand, consists chiefly of sculptures.”[viii]

The earliest practices of Mithras worship in Rome are evidenced at mithraea (Mithras sanctuaries) dating from around the 2nd century. The latest evidence dates from the fourth century. Despite its great popularity, Mithraism was never a state cult, and no public spaces were built for Mithras, nor holidays connected with this god. This evidence supports Mithraism as a distinctly private religion.[ix]

Basically, from what I researched, this deity underwent numerous changes in Rome from its original Iranian-Persian conception. Rome was a vast empire that extended over numerous cultures and those cultures’ mythologies. As stated in World Mythology, “the Romans absorbed the myths of their conquered subjects. For the modern observer, the result is an array of apparently contradictory images – temples of native Italian deities side by side with those of Greek or Easter gods; high-ranking “Roman” priests standing shoulder to shoulder with the foreign, flamboyant, self-castrated priests of the Great Mother. No wonder some Romans debated what “real” Roman myth or religion might be.”[x] This proves to be a better description of why the worship of Mithras in the mystery religions bears similarities to Christianity, rather than the other way around.

MJ

Note: To investigate Mithraism and the rise of the cult (because there is so much more than I have presented), visit your local library’s reference section on mythology and world religions. Also, please check referenced documents for further documentation. Articles quoted have many more sources than provided here.

For Further Reading:
Reference Books
Willis, Roy. Ed. “Persian Myths.” World Mythology. Richmond Hill, Duncan Baird Publishers: 1993.

Parrinder, Geoffrey. Ed. The Illustrated Who’s Who in Mythology. New York, MacMillan Publishing Company: 1985.

Carnoy, Albert J. “Iranian Mythology,” Volume Six, Mythology of All Races. New York, Marshall Jones Company: 1917.

Puhvel, Jaan. Comparative Mythology. Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press: 1987.

Online Articles
Metzger, Bruce. Historical and Literary Studies: Pagan, Jewish, and Christian. Available from: http://www.frontline-apologetics.com/mystery_religions_early_christianity.htm Accessed January 22, 2007.

McDowell, Josh. “Is The New Testament Filled With Myths”. Chapter 14 of A Reasoned Defense. Available from: http://www.greatcom.org/resources/areadydefense/ch14/default.htm. Accessed January 22, 2007.

Endnotes:
[ii] Carnoy, Albert J. “Iranian Mythology,” Volume Six, Mythology of All Races. New York, Marshall Jones Company: 1917. pgs.286.
[iii] Ibid. pgs. 287-288
[iv] Willis, Roy. Ed. “Persian Myths.” World Mythology. Richmond Hill, Duncan Baird Publishers:1993. pg.67.
[v] Ahura Mazda is both spelled with or without the last letter, h: Ahura Mazdah.
[vi] Puhvel, Jaan. Comparative Mythology. Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press: 1987. pg.102
[vii] Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology. Tarrytown, Marshall Cavendish Corporation: 2005. pgs.891-898.
[viii] Ibid. pg. 891.
[ix] Ibid.
[x] Ibid. pg. 166
© Mary Jo Sharp 2007