Re: [asa] Star of Bethlehem presentation?

In the last 2000 years there have been only 15 years that were leap
years in the Julian calendar but not in the Gregorian calendar. When
the British Empire (including the American colonies) switched calendars in
the 18th century, the adjustment was only eleven days if I recall the
figure correctly. This cannot explain a four-year error. I think it was a
calculation error by the guy who was responsible for setting up the AD-BC
system.

Gordon Brown (ASA member)

On Mon, 23 Nov 2009, John Walley wrote:

> I always heard the 4BC date was due to a needed adjustment to the Gregorian
> calendar because they forgot to take leap years into account but they only
> discovered it after the fact and too late. Is that not the case? 
>  
> If that is true, how can a mistranslation of Josephus yield only a 2 yr
> difference?
>  
> Thanks
>  
> John
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> From: Ted Davis <TDavis@messiah.edu>
> To: asa <asa@calvin.edu>; Bernie Dehler <bernie.dehler@intel.com>
> Sent: Mon, November 23, 2009 2:37:52 PM
> Subject: RE: [asa] Star of Bethlehem presentation?
>
> I see there's been a flurry of activity related to ideas about the Star of
> Bethlehem.  If in fact a misprint of Josephus led Kepler and others to
> accept of a birth year for Christ of 4 BC or earlier, that would be very
> interesting.  I'm looking into that claim.
>  
> Many years ago I undertook a translation (which I won't be making public) of
> Kepler's treatise, "De vero anno quo Aeternus Dei Filius Humanam Naturam in
> Utero Benedictae Virginis Mariae Assumpsit," in which Kepler offered his
> view on this topic--I have a longstanding interest in it myself.  In
> general, I recommend the following book on this topic:
> http://www.eclipse.net/~molnar/
>  
> Let me comment as follows, for Bernie: the dominant Christian view on
> astrology, Bernie, has since the time of Augustine been as follows. 
> Deterministic astrology, in which the stars actually determine & control
> human affairs, is verboten.  But it was OK for Christians to hold that God
> can use the stars to reveal events under his own control, and in that
> context the magi were led to Bethlehem.  Most contemporary Christians,
> including evangelicals, probably no little or nothing about the history of
> astrology and Christian views of it; the same is true of almost everyone
> else as well--nothing peculiar to Christians here, Bernie.  Thus, many
> evangelical preachers might be very reluctant to see the magi as
> "astrologers," despite the use of the word "Magi" in the Bible.  Others
> might know something about this and mention it helpfully.
>  
> Ted
>  
>  
>
>
>

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Received on Mon Nov 23 16:39:45 2009