Bede

Vork,

Well, the picture is on the cover of the book and the website so it is their prima facie evidence that is supposed to catch the attention. Also they write "The chance discovery of this amulet made us feel the universe itself was encouraging us" (JM page 16). So, if not earth shattering, will universe encouraging do?

Yours

Bede

Bede's Library - faith and reason

Toto

I don't think that putting the amulet on the cover makes it prima facie evidence, or anything other than an illustration. There's some old saying about not judging a book by its cover.

F&G are not strict rationalists, as the above quote shows. They are New Age neo-pagans. They prefer a cosmic spiritual Jesus to the confining literalist human Jesus of the Christian churches. They do state in the book that there is barely enough evidence to justify a belief that Jesus existed as a human, but that they like the spiritual explanation and the sort of religion it is associated with better.

Vorkosigan

Vork,Well, the picture is on the cover of the book and the website so it is their prima facie evidence that is supposed to catch the attention. Also they write "The chance discovery of this amulet made us feel the universe itself was encouraging us" (JM page 16). So, if not earth shattering, will universe encouraging do?

Not really. I see nothing in your statement here that is inconsistent with theirs.

Vorkosigan

Bede

Glad you see no inconsistancy. I am also pleased that Freke accepts the picture they put on the cover of their book, mention in the preface and text, illustrate inside and put on their website is not good evidence for their thesis. Hopefully, they will make this clear in upcoming editions.

B

joedad

I found this review of Richard Kieckhefer's "Magic in the Middle Ages."

http://www.historyhouse.com/book/0521785766/

The writer of this review was not overly impressed.

The amulet is a version of an anchor cross, which I believe was popular in the early church, so indeed a third or fourth century date is accurate. But based upon the above link, I'm left wondering just how accurate it is to conclude that this amulet is only representative of "magic," which carries pejorative connotations for us today.

joe