Studies on the Fringe of Christianity
Crucifixion became an important method of capital punishment in the Roman Republic from the 6th century BC and continuing for several hundred years after Christ’s death. This execution style was finally abolished in the Roman Empire, during the 4th century AD, by Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor of Rome.1 When first originated by …
We talk about blood a lot. “We are related by blood.” “Blood is thicker than water.” “I gave you my blood, sweat, and tears.” “That makes my blood boil.” You can probably think of more such sayings. These statements are rather common and, as one author said, “It seems we humans are hard-wired to ‘know’ …
When the question is asked about why did Jesus need to die, it is usually answered, “He died for our sins.” Few people ask for further explanation, but when some do they get such answers as: “So that we could be forgiven,” or “He gave his life for ours.” While those answers may be correct, …