Oxford professors ask for help in decoding ‘Lost Gospels’

Biblical researchers based at Oxford University have become very excited about translating millions of fragments of ancient texts in their possession. While these texts were discovered over a century ago, it is only recently that translating them has been taken seriously, and researchers are becoming increasingly excited by what they are uncovering.

The documents, entitled The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, after the Egyptian city in which they were discovered, are being touted as a possible “lost gospel,” with academics saying they could provide valuable insight into the “mark of the beast” referred to in Revelation.

The painfully slow process of translating them has resulted in researchers calling on “armchair archaeologists” to help out by logging into the Ancient Lives website, where parts of the text have been published.

The texts, dated between 500 BC to 1,000 AD, were written when Egypt was controlled by Greek and Romans.

“It’s with the digital advancements of our own age, that we're able to open up this window into the past, and see a common human experience in that intimate, traditional medium, handwriting,” lead developer and designer, William MacFarlane of Oxford University’s Department of Physics stated on the university’s website.

Parts of the documents have not been read in over a thousand years, and might provide valuable insight into the life and ministry of Jesus, and even details about what people of the time believed about the Judgement Day.

One discovery has already thrown into question the number of the beast referred to in Revelation 13:18 as ‘666,’ with researchers now believing it might actually be “616” or “665.”

Fragments also include lost stories of Jesus, including an account of Jesus throwing out demons.

“Until now only experts could explore this incredible collection,” said project leader Dr Chris Lintott of Oxford University’s Department of Physics. “With so much of the collection unstudied there’s plenty for everyone. We’re excited to see what visitors to ancientlives.org can unearth.”

(Image from ox.ac.uk).

Judgement Day preacher apologises for mistake

The founder of Family Radio Stations Inc., Harold Camping, has publicly apologised for incorrectly predicting the end of the world on two separate occasions.

The preacher first predicted the world would end on May 21 causing thousands of his followers to resign from their jobs and cash in their savings. When this date failed Camping then changed his prediction to October 21.

In a recent address on his radio station, Camping admitted he had read the Scriptures incorrectly and regrets the harm this has caused others.

This is quite an about turn for Camping who has insisted since 1992 that he had discovered a special numerical system in the Bible that allowed him to calculate the exact dates of certain events, such as the Great Flood, the Crucifixion and Judgement Day.

A transcript of Camping’s audio message is below:

"We're living in a day when one problem follows another. And when it comes to trying to recognize the truth of prophecy, we're finding that it is very very difficult.

Why didn't Christ return on Oct. 21? It seems embarrassing for Family Radio. But God was in charge of everything. We came to that conclusion after quite careful study of the Bible. He allowed everything to happen the way it did without correction. He could have stopped everything if He had wanted to.

I am very encouraged by letters that I have received and [am] receiving at this time concerning this matter. Amongst other things I have been checking my notes more carefully than ever. And I do find that there is other language in the Bible that we still have to look at very carefully and will impinge upon this question very definitely. And we should be very patient about this matter. At least in a minimal way we are learning to walk more and more humble before God.

We're ready to cry out and weep before God: 'Oh Lord, you have the truth, we don't have it. You have the truth.' And this is another place where we have to cry out for... There's one thing that we must remember – God is in charge of this whole business, and we are not. What God wants to tell us is His business. When He wants to tell us is His business. In the meanwhile, God is allowing us to continue to cry to Him for mercy – oh my, how we need His mercy – and continue to wait on Him. God has not left us. God is still God. But we have to be very careful that we don't dictate to God what He should do.

In our search in the Bible, we must continue to look to the Bible, look to the Bible. Because there is where truth comes from. And God in His own timetable and in His own purposes will reveal truth to us when it's His time to do it. In any case, we do not have to have a feeling of calamity or a feeling that God has abandoned us. We are simply learning. And sometimes it's painful to learn. We are learning how God brings His messages to mankind, and my my, we have claimed to be a child of God, and therefore as we search the Bible, we're bound to feel the darts of the Lord. Sometimes He gives us the truth and sometimes He gives us something that causes us to wait further upon Him.

Whatever we do, we must not feel for a moment that we have been abandoned by God – that He is no longer helping us or interested in us. Oh my, what an encouragement it is to go to the Lord again and again – "Oh Lord, I don't know anything. You teach me." And that's the attitude that has to be apart of each one of us. And God will not abandon us, He will provide, but we have to be just very careful that we don't dictate to him when that has to happen.

Incidentally, I have been told that I said back in May that people who did not believe that May 21 should not be the rapture date, probably had not been saved. I should not have said that, and I apologize for that. One thing we know for certain, is that God is merciful, merciful beyond anything that we would ever expect. And so, we can pray constantly, and should be praying constantly: "Oh Lord, we look to Thee for Thine mercy, and we're so thankful that we know that Thou art so merciful."

How wonderful to know that God is still on the throne, that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that He hears every one of our prayers. And let's not hesitate, let's be, if anything, let's pray more than ever for God's mercy, and keep praying and God will provide. But God is in charge, and we must always keep that in mind."

Vatican urges radical global economic reform

The state of the global economy has been in the news a lot lately with the anti-establishment ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protest movement gaining momentum throughout the word. The Catholic Church has boldly entered that debate with the Vatican this week urging a radical reform of the world's financial systems.

A proposal put forward by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace outlines a new world economic order based on ethics and the "achievement of a universal common good." It also calls for the installation of a global political authority to manage the economy. This comes after Pope Benedict XVI's 2009 economic encyclical that denounced a profit-at-all-cost mentality as responsible for the global financial meltdown.

The proposal admits that a "long road still needs to be traveled before arriving at the creation of a public authority with universal jurisdiction" and suggests beginning the reform process with an overhaul of the United Nations.

"It is an exercise of responsibility not only toward the current but above all toward future generations, so that hope for a better future and confidence in human dignity and capacity for good may never be extinguished," the document read.

The proposal emphasises that reforms should ensure that financial and monetary policies do not damage smaller economies while also fairly distributing the world’s wealth.

The document fiercely condemned "utilitarian thinking," saying what is useful to the individual does not always favor the common good.

Shane Claiborne: What would Jesus say to Wall Street?

In an article he recently wrote for the Huffington Post, activist and author Shane Claiborne brought a Christian perspective to the growing Wall Street protests. Claiborne mentioned how a reporter asked him, "As a Christian leader, does your faith have anything to say about Wall Street?" Claiborne’s response was: "How much time do you have?"

Claiborne insists faith has plenty to say to the economic realm, citing theologian Karl Bath’s famous saying that "We have to read the Bible in one hand, and the newspaper in the other." Claiborne insists that Christians should never use their faith as a ticket out of this world but rather as fuel to engage it.

Claiborne adds that the Gospels confront the very “patterns of the world we live in.” He talks about how the pregnant Mary sings about how God will cast the mighty from their thrones and raise the lowly. There are about 2000 similar verses in Scripture, where God confronts the powerful and promises care for the poor and vulnerable. Claiborne then writes:

“What would Jesus say about Wall Street?

It doesn't get much better than Luke chapter 12. Jesus begins by saying, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." And then, as per usual, he tells a story. The story is about a "rich man" whose business makes it big. He has so much stuff he doesn't know where to put it all. So he decides, "This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones... and I'll say to myself, 'You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.'" But Jesus says God looks down and is not happy. God says to the rich man, "You fool! This very night you will die -- and what will happen to all your stuff?" And Jesus ends the teaching by saying this is how things will be for folks who store up stuff for themselves.

It does make you wonder what to do about 401k's and pensions. But it seems pretty clear that Jesus isn't a big fan of stockpiling stuff in barns and banks, especially when folks are dying of starvation and preventable diseases.

One of the constant threads of Scripture is "Give us this day our daily bread." Nothing more, nothing less. Underneath this admonition is the assumption that the more we store up for tomorrow the less people will have for today. And in a world where 1% of the world owns half the world's stuff, we are beginning to realize that there is enough for everyone's need, but there is not enough for everyone's greed. Lots of folks are beginning to say, "Maybe God has a different dream for the world than the Wall Street dream."

Maybe God's dream is for us to live simply so that others may simply live. Maybe God's dream is for the bankers to empty their banks and barns so folks have enough food for today.”

To read the full article, go to www.huffingtonpost.com/religion.

Facebook book comment earns demotion

A Christian working as a manager at a housing association in Manchester, United Kingdom received a demotion and massive pay cut due to comments he made regarding homosexual civil partnerships on Facebook.

Adrian Smith shared a news headline link to his Facebook page concerning gay church marriages being given the go head, to which he added a personal comment: “An equality too far.”

His comment was read by two colleagues who asked him to explain. Mr Smith replied that the state “should not impose its rules on places of faith and conscience”.

The colleagues then complained to their employers at Trafford Housing Trust, who launched an investigation and disciplinary proceedings against Mr Smith. The decision was taken to cut his salary by 40 per cent and demote him from his managerial position.

Despite the comments being made on Mr Smith’s personal page and outside of work hours, the organisation said his remarks damaged their reputation and amounted to gross misconduct.

Mr Smith was informed he escaped dismissal only because of his loyal service over 18 years.

Mr Smith appealed the decision, but it was upheld by senior managers. He has now decided to take the Trust to court, citing unlawful interference with his rights to free speech and religious liberty.

Mr Smith is being supported by the Christian Institute and solicitor Tom Ellis, of the Manchester-based law firm Aughton Ainsworth in his challenge, reports ChristianityToday.com.

Mr Ellis argued that his client had left bereft of all other choices than to seek justice in the court system.

“As a Christian, Adrian believes in the values of fairness, courtesy and respect for the opinions of others," said Mr Ellis.

"These are the values of a mature and healthy society. Surely that leaves room for colleagues to discuss and even disagree about the topics of the day. Conversations like that happen in offices and factories up and down the country every day.

“Nothing he said was offensive or abusive. His comments were calm, measured and reasonable. Adrian has been treated disproportionately and even those who disagree with his opinions will surely agree that he has been treated unfairly.”

Mike Judge, of The Christian Institute, added Mr Smith’s comments regarding civil partnerships were “tame and inoffensive” and that he had been the victim of a “witch hunt”.

“The comments certainly don’t amount to gross misconduct, which is usually reserved for things like theft or fraud,” he insisted.
“His bosses should get some sense of perspective.

“Employers have a responsibility to protect the rights of their staff – and that includes their Christian staff.

“One set of rights should not trump another. It looks to me like there has been some sort of witch hunt against Mr Smith because of his Christian views.”

Steve Jobs’ biography reveals faith struggles

Steve Job’s Biographer Walter Isaacson told CBS' "60 Minutes" in an interview on Sunday that the Apple CEO struggled with his beliefs about God in the time leading up to his death.

Isaacson related how Jobs, a self-proclaimed Buddhist, began to question God, the afterlife, and his personal purpose and meaning in the months before his death.

"I remember sitting in his backyard in his garden one day and he started talking about God," reminsced Isaacson. "He said, 'Sometimes I believe in God, sometimes I don't. I think it's 50-50 maybe. But ever since I've had cancer, I've been thinking about it more. And I find myself believing a bit more. I kind of – maybe it's cause I want to believe in an afterlife. That when you die, it doesn't just all disappear. The wisdom you've accumulated. Somehow it lives on.'"

Isaacson added: "Then he paused for a second and he said, 'Yeah, but sometimes I think it's just like an on-off switch. Click and you're gone.' He paused again, and he said, 'And that's why I don't like putting on-off switches on Apple devices.'"

In a recording aired on the show, Jobs also questioned the meaning of his own existence.

"I saw my life as an arc," Jobs said. "And that it would end and compared to that nothing mattered. You're born alone, you're gonna die alone. And does anything else really matter? I mean what is it exactly, is it that you have to lose Steve? You know? There's nothing."

Jobs revolutionised the digital world with his Apple products before he passed away on Oct. 5 after a long illness. Jobs was aged only 56 when he died.

Call to pray for earthquake-struck Turkey

The international Christian aid agency, World Vision, has urged people to pray for Turkey after a devastating earthquake struck the country. World Vision added that it will be closely monitoring the situation there as it looks to send aid.

The latest news from the country is that the death toll is climbing rapidly towards 300 after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked eastern Turkey, collapsing buildings and destroying infrastructure.

Monday saw hundreds of rescuers using the bare hands to pull survivors out of the debris in freezing cold conditions.

Authorities fear the death toll could increase further as the search for survivors continues, reports The Associated Press.

Thousands of people were injured while thousands more were forced to spend the night on streets or in tents in the extremely cold conditions.

The US President Barack Obama has announced that America would assist in Turkey’s recovery, saying: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the brave men and women who are working to bring assistance to this stricken region,” he said in a statement.

“We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Turkish ally in this difficult time, and are ready to assist the Turkish authorities.”

Pop star Rihanna has also sent a good will message out to Turkey via her twitter account, writing: “Turkey, we're praying for all of you #Pray4Turkey”.