Pagan Pageantry: how the secular roots of Christmas traditions teach us about engaging our culture today
[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_wp_text text=”Christmas has pagan roots, but that shouldn’t alarm us. Those roots don’t mean our celebrations are fraudulent or inspired by idolatry. Quite the opposite. Our adaptation of festivals…
Heads & Tales: learning about the true King of the Jews from the last king of the Jews
[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_wp_text text=”Given that Herod was a skilled politician (more on that later), from a notable family (again, more to come)… how did he become so singularly evil? What happened…
Happy Happy Joy Joy: the power stories behind famous Christmas carols
[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_wp_text text=”Nothing dredges my heart like Christmas carols. I know they’re not an accurate depiction of real life–heck, for the most part, they’re not even accurate depictions of the…
On Halloween
[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_wp_text title=”On Halloween” text=”Many Christians have concerns about Halloween — about its origins with pagan and occult practices, about the scary movies that always seem to be released around…
Heads & Tales: Resources
If you’re at all interested in learning more about Herod the Great, here are the best resources I uncovered during the fall of 2012. Josephus: the Antiquities of the Jews…
Heads & Tales: day 23
Herod originally intended to have his son, Herod Antipas, succeed him as King of the Jews but Caesar Augustus vetoed the appointment. Augustus suggested Herod appoint his other son, Archeleus,…
Heads & Tales: day 22
Herod died shortly after the arrival of the Magi, and within seventy years of his death everything he had schemed, labored, and shiestered to acquire was gone. The Hasmonean monarchy…
Heads & Tales: day 21
Herod died shortly after the Holy Family fled to Egypt. We’re not sure precisely how long after, just that his death coincided with a collision of stars in the sky….
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