In the spring of 1992, I taught a lecture course on "Introduction to New Testament" at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to a class of 300. By the end of the drop-add period the enrollment was down to 263. This was normal attrition, and had nothing--or, probably, mostly nothing--to … [Read more...]
Jesus and the Speaking Skull (Part 3)
(This is the continuation and conclusion of last week's post.) What do we know about talking skulls? First, that it's a motif found in traditions from many different parts of the world. Naturally. We all want to know what happens beyond the grave, don't we? And what better source of that … [Read more...]
Jesus and the Speaking Skull (Part 2)
(This is a continuation of my post last week, about the Muslim story of "the prophet Jesus and the skull.") "I am Lazarus, come from the dead, Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all." --T.S. Eliot, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" Eliot got the story a little bit wrong. More … [Read more...]
Jesus and the Speaking Skull (Part 1)
Ever hear the story of Jesus and the skull? I'd be willing to bet you haven't. It's found nowhere in the New Testament. Unless maybe it's there, in disguise--but we'll get to that. I came across the story years ago in the 1930 volume of the journal Muslim World (which I think back then used … [Read more...]
