Pagan

The Probable Pagan Origin of an Ancient Jewish Custom: Purification with Red Heifer’s Ashes

Posted on January 20, 2019January 20, 2019 by MAMcIntosh

The Jewish red heifer ash ritual may have originated in surrounding pagan cultures reflecting the transition from pantheism to monotheism. Dr. Efraim LevAssistant Professor of Israel StudiesUniversity of Haifa Dr. Simcha Lev-YadunProfessor of BiologyUniversity of Haifa Abstract One of the most enigmatic of all ancient Jewish religious customs was the use of ashes of a[…]

The Holly and the Ivy: Christmas Traditions that Pre-Date the Christian Story

Posted on December 25, 2018December 25, 2018 by MAMcIntosh

Christmas trees are fairly moden, but parts of the traditional Christmas pre-date Jesus. By Dr. Peter GlavesEnterprise FellowNorthumbria University, Newcastle Every year, almost without thinking about it, we incorporate certain plant species into out Christmas celebrations. The most obvious is the Christmas tree, linked historically in England to Prince Albert – but its use in British homes goes back to at least[…]