By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2025-12-11T17:25:25-05:00October 8th, 2025|Tags: Chaos, Christian History by the Century, Christmas, Gospel of Matthew, John the Baptist, Violence|
The first century BCE reshaped Judea through Roman domination, Herod’s brutality, and the fragile hope and expectancy of David’s royal lineage. Into this turbulent landscape Jesus was born, carrying both the peril and promise of Bethlehem’s Davidic heritage.
By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2024-12-09T15:41:22-05:00December 11th, 2024|Tags: Christmas, Gospel of Philip, Odes of Solomon, Secret Revelation of John, The Book of the Stranger|
Noting how often the concept of birth in general was discussed in the context of a divine action, we gain more appreciation of Jesus’s spiritual conception. The focus turns toward the spiritual perfection and divine purpose of the Father/Mother/Creator.
By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2023-04-25T05:00:50-04:00December 28th, 2022|Tags: Christmas, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Matthew, Protevangelium of James|
The biblical accounts in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke have some similar features, such as Mary and Joseph attending the birth. But the details in both accounts are actually contradictory. Presenter: Dr. Shirley Paulson and Dr. Robert J. Miller (with host Hilary Barner)
By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2022-12-10T07:50:28-05:00December 14th, 2022|Tags: Christ, Christmas, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Matthew, Paul|
If we only celebrated the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew, we’d have no angel speaking to Mary …. If we only celebrated the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, we’d have no flight to Egypt.
By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2026-02-14T05:07:59-05:00December 7th, 2022|Tags: Christmas, Gospel of Matthew, Nativity Story, Protevangelium of James|
All of the stories about Jesus’s birth are creative stories. People have imagined that story in many different ways. Birth stories of Jesus … do have some commonalities. But then they add details for their own purposes. An interview with Dr. Eric Vanden Eykel
By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2023-11-04T07:47:47-04:00December 8th, 2021|Tags: Christmas, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Truth, Justice, Letter of Peter to Philip|
“Joy to the world!” “‘Tis the season to be jolly.” The Christian Advent wreath reminds us that joy welcomes the Messiah. But there’s a tension between uninhibited joy and the knowledge of pain in the world.
By Shirley Paulson, PhD|2021-01-06T09:03:13-05:00December 12th, 2019|Tags: Christmas, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Matthew, Nativity Story|
I was afraid to consider the implications, because Christmas had become a profoundly religious experience for me by now. Was this discovery going to shatter my faith?
