Article Abstract:
Archaeology is shedding light on the broader social context surrounding the spread of early Christianity and the career of the Apostle Paul. The evidence suggests that centralization under the Roman empire caused widespread economic disruption, political change and cultural clashes, changes that affected rural as well as urban regions. The early apostles would have provided an alternative to the dominant system of imperial power under the Romans. Christian teachings opposed the values of power, wealth and status that were promoted by the Roman Empire. Thus Christianity must be understood as a social phenomenon as well as a spiritual one.
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Article Abstract:
Archaeological finds at Hazor correspond to the biblical account of the Israelite conquest of the Promised Land. Analysis of charred ruins reveal that the site was formerly a Canaanite palace, and cuneiform tablets found within record the king's name as Ibni-Addu, a variation of the bible's Yabin. The fire that consumed the site was placed at the late 14th or early 13th century B.C., and its new inhabitants were identified as Israelites.
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Article Abstract:
Two television programs aired in Mar 1999 sought to popularize archaeology. "Opening the Lost Tombs: Live from Egypt" was produced by the Fox Network, and "Cleopatra's Palace: In Search of a Legend" by the Discovery Channel. Though successful in terms of ratings, the shows were less adept at rendering the painstaking work of archaeological research in a form acceptable as mass entertainment.
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