Freethought & Rationalism Archive

andrewcriddle · 06-19-2008, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

It's now official - this find has no possible credibility. Even Hershel Shanks casts doubt on it.

BAR: Oldest Church Found?

Quote:

Critics, however, have begun to question the identification of the cave as an early church; see BAR editor Hershel Shanks’ television interview, and also see http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...ld-church.html .

Thanks for this Toto

The article seems to confirm that Saint Georgeous = Saint George.

Andrew Criddle

Toto · 07-16-2008, 12:27 PM

BAR has a paper on its website that puts the final nail in this.

The Oratory of St. George in Rihab: The Oldest Extant Christian Building or Just Another Byzantine Church? (pdf) by Lincoln Blumell and Jenn Cianca, University of Toronto

Quote:

Given the potential implications of such claims for the study of early Christianity, in that if they could be substantiated they would radically alter a number of conceptions currently held about early Christian epigraphic habits, building and burial practices, and the spread of Christianity into the region of the Decapolis, such claims merit some attention even if only to show that they are largely unfounded. This analysis will therefore consider whether the remains of the building found at Rihab should be considered the oldest extant Christian church and will take a two-pronged approach. First, the inscription from the mosaic pavement will be assessed to see whether it actually dates to the year 230 C.E., and second, a cursory survey of the archeological remains will be considered to see if they are consistent with a date of the first three centuries of the Common Era. As this examination will show neither the inscription, which is the only piece of objective evidence used to date the construction of the building, nor the archaeological remains point to such an early date. Rather, it will be shown that the building is clearly of the Byzantine era; not only are the archaeological remains consistent with Christian buildings of this period but the inscription has been transcribed incorrectly and actually contains the date 530 C.E.

mountainman · 07-16-2008, 06:00 PM

That just leaves Dura-Europa and/or Meggido as the only contestants (that I am aware of) for the dubious claim to being the oldest (and only pre-Constantinian basilica style) "christian house-church".

The Meggido chronology has mixed support, but there is reasonable representation for a mid-fourth century date. As far as I am concerned, the purported existence of a "house-church" at Dura-Europa is a claim which is hanging in the field via its fingertips. Didn't Yale or someone remove the entire evidence from Dura to Yale, or was this just a reconstruction job?

Best wishes,

Pete

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07-16-2008, 06:00 PM	#53
mountainman Contributor Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Falls Creek, Oz. Posts: 11,192	That just leaves Dura-Europa and/or Meggido as the only contestants (that I am aware of) for the dubious claim to being the oldest (and only pre-Constantinian basilica style) "christian house-church". The Meggido chronology has mixed support, but there is reasonable representation for a mid-fourth century date. As far as I am concerned, the purported existence of a "house-church" at Dura-Europa is a claim which is hanging in the field via its fingertips. Didn't Yale or someone remove the entire evidence from Dura to Yale, or was this just a reconstruction job? Best wishes, Pete

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