Good advice. I typically steer as clear of these threads as possible. There’s just no upside to getting involved unless you fully agree, as a rule.
In this case my curiosity trumped pragmatism. I’ve studied Greek, and while not a scholar, I did wondter how the papyrus was (purportedly) dated with such exactness.
Ten minutes’ research revealed that the leading papyrus scholars by no means agree on the age of this specimen. The usual dating method is to examine the style of the lettering, and use that to date the sample to within ~100 years.
In this case, the lettering is unique, so that method goes out the window. The most learned scholars then apply a variety of methods for a looser estimation of the date. This article chose the earliest possible of those estimates, and presented it as fact. Actually, it’s but the earliest date in a three-century range.
Fwiw.
Thanks. I certainly appreciate your post and I’m a Catholic.
So it’s fair to say the oldest this fragment could be is A.D. 550?