Dr. Ken Calvert

Now, when the Christians do adopt some aspects of their culture, such as the use of wedding rings or the use of other aspects of the culture, it's not what you would call a full-blown adoption of pagan activities. Remember that these people were persecuted by the pagans and

Now, when the Christians do adopt some aspects of their culture, such as the use of wedding rings or the use of other aspects of the culture, it's not what you would call a full-blown adoption of pagan activities. Remember that these people were persecuted by the pagans and

and not particularly wanting to take on the worship in some way, or even the hint of worship of pagan gods, of pagan divinities. So I think that looking at this historically, one has to be very careful about that. Now, along the way, did Christians build churches on top of old pagan sites in order to Christianize them? Yes, they did.

and not particularly wanting to take on the worship in some way, or even the hint of worship of pagan gods, of pagan divinities. So I think that looking at this historically, one has to be very careful about that. Now, along the way, did Christians build churches on top of old pagan sites in order to Christianize them? Yes, they did.

But it was a Christian message that they were making and not the pagan message. Did they sometimes use the old pagan temples as Christian churches? And you do find this every once in a while, that they will adopt those structures and make them Christian, like the Pantheon in the city of Rome. But when we

But it was a Christian message that they were making and not the pagan message. Did they sometimes use the old pagan temples as Christian churches? And you do find this every once in a while, that they will adopt those structures and make them Christian, like the Pantheon in the city of Rome. But when we

When we talk about the fusing of pagan and Christian activities, you might find some of that at the local level among Christians who are maybe confused about the transition that they have just made from paganism. You might have some confusion there.

When we talk about the fusing of pagan and Christian activities, you might find some of that at the local level among Christians who are maybe confused about the transition that they have just made from paganism. You might have some confusion there.

But really on the whole, when you talk about what Christian leaders are teaching, what they're really trying to get across to their people, is this idea that we are, as Christians, very much separate from the pagan world.

But really on the whole, when you talk about what Christian leaders are teaching, what they're really trying to get across to their people, is this idea that we are, as Christians, very much separate from the pagan world.

I would argue that a lot of the confusion in the modern world about, for instance, Constantine or the use of pagan ideas or sites or pagan divinities within Christian practice, that that is actually more modern confusion than it is the actual practice of what's going on in the ancient world among ancient Christians.

I would argue that a lot of the confusion in the modern world about, for instance, Constantine or the use of pagan ideas or sites or pagan divinities within Christian practice, that that is actually more modern confusion than it is the actual practice of what's going on in the ancient world among ancient Christians.

Yeah, I think that a couple of things. Number one, that Christianity did not appear out of nowhere on its own. That it's rooted in the Old Testament. It's rooted in first century Judaism. that Jesus is a part of that Jewish world. And this is a very, very important point that I think sometimes we miss.

Yeah, I think that a couple of things. Number one, that Christianity did not appear out of nowhere on its own. That it's rooted in the Old Testament. It's rooted in first century Judaism. that Jesus is a part of that Jewish world. And this is a very, very important point that I think sometimes we miss.

If you don't read the gospels, for instance, in the thick of the Greek and Roman history, in the thick of the Jewish history, you really miss a lot of what Jesus is saying. And so that I think is very, very important. In fact, the fact that he is attacked by

If you don't read the gospels, for instance, in the thick of the Greek and Roman history, in the thick of the Jewish history, you really miss a lot of what Jesus is saying. And so that I think is very, very important. In fact, the fact that he is attacked by

Really from day one, Herod goes after him because the Magi have called Jesus the King of the Jews and Herod was named King of the Jews by the Roman Senate. So you have to understand some of that context and why people are doing that. The other thing and related to the celebration of the Passover and to Easter is that every year, of course, the Jews celebrated the Passover.

Really from day one, Herod goes after him because the Magi have called Jesus the King of the Jews and Herod was named King of the Jews by the Roman Senate. So you have to understand some of that context and why people are doing that. The other thing and related to the celebration of the Passover and to Easter is that every year, of course, the Jews celebrated the Passover.

And for us, this is like celebrating our Fourth of July. and say we're celebrating 4th of July and we're ruled by a foreign power. That's what Passover is about, that the Romans are ruling, a pagan foreign power is ruling over Jerusalem, over Judea at that time. And when Jesus rides into Jerusalem on that donkey, He's saying, in relation to a prophecy from Malachi, he's saying, I am the Messiah.

And for us, this is like celebrating our Fourth of July. and say we're celebrating 4th of July and we're ruled by a foreign power. That's what Passover is about, that the Romans are ruling, a pagan foreign power is ruling over Jerusalem, over Judea at that time. And when Jesus rides into Jerusalem on that donkey, He's saying, in relation to a prophecy from Malachi, he's saying, I am the Messiah.