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Archaeologists Discover Ancient Church-(heh JC and Armagedon... are we having fun?)
ap ^ | 11.7.05 | na

Posted on 11/05/2005 9:26:41 PM PST by Flavius

JERUSALEM - Israeli archaeologists on Saturday said they have discovered what may be the oldest Christian church in the Holy Land on the grounds of a prison near the biblical site of Armageddon. ADVERTISEMENT

The Israeli Antiquities Authority said the ruins are believed to date back to the third or fourth centuries, and include references to Jesus and images of fish, an ancient Christian symbol.

"This is a very ancient structure, maybe the oldest in our area," said Yotam Tepper, the head archaeologist on the dig.

The dig took place over the past 18 months at the Megiddo prison in northern Israel, with the most significant discoveries taking place in the past two weeks, Tepper said. Scholars believe Megiddo to be the New Testament's Armageddon, the site of a final war between good and evil.

Tepper said the discovery could shed new light on an important period of Christianity, which was banned by the Romans until the fourth century.

"Normally we have from this period in our region historical evidence from literature, not archaeological evidence," he said. "There is no structure you can compare it to, it is a very unique find."

Channel Two television, which broke the story Saturday evening, broadcast pictures of a detailed and well-preserved mosaic bearing the name of Jesus Christ in ancient Greek and images of fish.

Pietro Sambi, the Vatican's ambassador to Israel, praised the find as a "great discovery."

"Of course, all the Christians are convinced of the history of Jesus Christ," he told Channel Two. "But is it extremely important to have archaeological proof of a church dedicated to him? Certainly."

Joe Zias, an anthropologist and a former curator with the Israeli Antiquities Authorities, said the discovery was significant but unlikely to be the world's oldest church. He said there were no churches until Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in the fourth century.

"The earliest it could be is fourth century and we have other fourth-century churches. I think what is important here is the size, the inscription and the mosaics," he said. "I think it is an important find as far as early Christianity but I wouldn't say it was the oldest church in the world."

The Antiquities Authority said more than 60 prison inmates took part in the dig in recent months. Channel Two said there is speculation that Israel may move the prison and open a tourist attraction in its place.

"If it's between a prison and a church, I would like a church," Zias said. "You can put a prison anywhere."

Israeli Tourism Minister Avraham Hirshzon said the discovery could greatly increase tourism to Israel.

"If we nurture this properly, then certainly there will be a large stream of tourists who could come to Israel. There is great potential and together with the evangelical center in the north could bring great strides in tourism," he told Channel Two.


TOPICS: Israel; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: archaeology; christianity; ggg; godsgravesglyphs; history; israel
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To: Flavius

What is odd are the ones who dispute the existence of Jesus, often citing a lack of historical documentation outside of religion, but have no problem believing in the Roman emporers who existed in the same time period.


21 posted on 11/06/2005 1:13:45 PM PST by kenth (A zot! A zot! My kingdom for a zot!)
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To: NYer

All that may be true, but as Scripture says, no man knows the hour, and we must be always ready like the wise virgins with their lamps filled with oil.


22 posted on 11/06/2005 1:17:53 PM PST by Unam Sanctam
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To: FairOpinion

Is there a translation of the mosaic inscription anywhere?


23 posted on 11/06/2005 1:20:29 PM PST by Unam Sanctam
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To: Iscool

There is complete continuity between the Church of the apostles and the early fathers and the Church post-Constantine, and in fact down to current day in the Church in communion with Peter's successor, Pope Benedict.


24 posted on 11/06/2005 1:23:09 PM PST by Unam Sanctam
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To: PositiveCogins
Islam has no right to existence in this world and should be baned from this planet. Along with pestilence, disease and a raving bitch, Islam is an enemy of all mankind and should be eradicated immediately.

There is no moral right to embrace error, but there is no room for coercion of people's free conscience. Evangelization a la St. Francis is more what is called for. I really hate these blanket statements about killing all Moslems I am seeing more and more on Free Republic. I don't think anyone should be embracing the idea of genocide. Islam can be stopped without genocide.

25 posted on 11/06/2005 1:25:47 PM PST by Unam Sanctam
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To: Unam Sanctam

Still you must realize that Muslim's holy book calls for killing of Jews and Christians. Can we hope for their success? I think at best we can pray they abandon their religion of hate.


26 posted on 11/06/2005 2:16:08 PM PST by x5452
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another source (thanks spyone)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4411286.stm

earlier topic:

Ancient church uncovered in Megiddo Prison
Jerusalem Post | 11/5/5 | TIDHAR OFEK
Posted on 11/05/2005 3:38:44 PM PST by SmithL
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1516475/posts

similar, later FR topics:

Israeli Archaeologists Discover Roman-era Christian Building
Washington Post | 11/6/05 | Scott Wilson
Posted on 11/06/2005 1:22:28 PM PST by saquin
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1516876/posts


27 posted on 11/06/2005 2:34:54 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Down with Dhimmicrats! I last updated my FR profile on Wednesday, November 2, 2005.)
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To: Clink

Perish the thought! Everything to them is Muslim. Not.


28 posted on 11/06/2005 2:43:36 PM PST by tob2 (Old Fossil and Proud of It!)
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To: Flavius

There is no "J" in the Greek or Hebrew Scriptures. Go to bnaiavraham.net and read The Missing "J" Free and a great read.


29 posted on 11/06/2005 2:52:20 PM PST by Lewite (Praise YAHWEH and Proclaim His Wonderful Name, His Son Yahshua Messiah is coming soon!)
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To: Flavius; SunkenCiv
Archaeologists Unveil Ancient Church Site
30 posted on 11/06/2005 4:32:22 PM PST by blam
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To: Flavius

Israeli prisoners Rizlov Ramil, top, and Biton Maymon, bottom, clean
a section of a Christian mosaic floor dating to the third or fourth century A.D.,
in the compound of the Megiddo prison in northern Israel.
31 posted on 11/06/2005 5:31:35 PM PST by Pharmboy (The stone age didn't end because they ran out of stones.)
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this is (I believe) the first one:

Ancient church uncovered in Megiddo Prison
Jerusalem Post | 11/5/5 | TIDHAR OFEK
Posted on 11/05/2005 3:38:44 PM PST by SmithL
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1516475/posts


32 posted on 11/06/2005 7:13:32 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Down with Dhimmicrats! I last updated my FR profile on Wednesday, November 2, 2005.)
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To: Iscool

Ahem. The Catholilc church and Christianity were one and the same until the schisms and later the Reformation.


33 posted on 11/07/2005 4:09:04 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
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To: Salem; Esther Ruth; F15Eagle; RoadTest; ArrogantBustard

Ping!


34 posted on 11/07/2005 5:43:23 AM PST by Convert from ECUSA (Not a nickel, not a dime, no more money for Hamastine!)
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To: Iscool; NYer; Salvation

He said there were no churches until Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in the fourth century.

Obviously there's no accuracy in that statement... Probably should have said there were no Catholic churches until Constantine took over...

There's a difference? What is that, pray tell?

35 posted on 11/07/2005 5:50:41 AM PST by COBOL2Java (Many Democrats are not weak Americans. But nearly all weak Americans are Democrats.)
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To: Unam Sanctam
Yes. Here's the translation from last night... ------------------------------------------------ Here's what it says, first using the Greek characters themselves, then a transliteration using English characters, then two translations into English, changing the word order into normal English for the second. (BTW, the reason for the parentheses is that I'm filling in the missing letters on those abbreviations of sacred names.): ΠΡΟΣΗΝΙΚΕΝ ΑΚΕΠΤΟΥΣ Η ΦΙΛΟΘΕΟΣ ΤΗΝ ΤΡΑΠΕ- ΖΑΝ Θ(Ε)Ω Ι(ΗΣΟ)Υ Χ(ΡΙΣΤ)Ω ΜΝΗΜΟΣΥΝΟΝ PROSĒNIKEN AKEPTOUS HĒ PHILOTHEOS TĒN TRAPE- ZAN TH(E)Ō I(ĒSO)U CH(RIST)Ō MNĒMOSYNON OFFERED AKEPTOUS THE GOD-LOVER THE TAB- LE TO THE G(O)D J(ESU)S CH(RIS)T MEMORIAL Akeptous the God-lover offered the table to the God Jesus Christ as a memorial 27 posted on 11/06/2005 9:47:56 PM CST by Charles Henrickson (Lutheran pastor and Ph.D. student in Biblical Studies) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]
36 posted on 11/07/2005 5:53:08 AM PST by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic
The Catholilc church and Christianity were one and the same until the schisms and later the Reformation.

The Catholilc church and the Baptist church and the Presbyterians church and Christianity were one and the same until the schisms and later the Reformation.

That's what I'm saying...The Catholic church, the Baptist church, the the Presbyterian church etc. all had the same roots...

When Constantine declared a state religion, one group went that way and the others went another...The schisms apparently started before Constantine...So if this building is older than Constantine's reign, it's hard to say who it belonged to...

37 posted on 11/07/2005 6:21:53 AM PST by Iscool (Start your own revolution by voting for the candidates the media (and gov't) tells you cannot win.)
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To: Iscool; afraidfortherepublic; COBOL2Java
The Catholic church, the Baptist church, the the Presbyterian church etc. all had the same roots...

Only one church goes back to Jesus Christ.


What is the History of Your Church?

Back · Home· Next
 

Church Year Established Founder Where Established
 
Catholic 33 Jesus Christ Jerusalem
 
Orthodox 1054 Schismatic Catholic
Bishops
Constantinople
 
Lutheran 1517 Martin Luther Germany
 
Anabaptist 1521 Nicholas Storch &
Thomas Munzer
Germany
 
Anglican 1534 Henry VII England
 
Mennonites 1536 Menno Simons Switzerland
 
Calvinist 1555 John Calvin Switzerland
 
Presbyterian 1560 John Knox Scotland
 
Congregational 1582 Robert Brown Holland
 
Baptist 1609 John Smyth Amsterdam
 
Dutch Reformed 1628 Michaelis Jones New York
 
Congregationalist 1648 Pilgrims and Puritans Massachusetts
 
Quakers 1649 George Fox England
 
Amish 1693 Jacob Amman France
 
Freemasons 1717 Masons from four lodges London
 
Methodist 1739 John & Charles
Wesley
England
 
Unitarian 1774 Theophilus Lindey London
 
Methodist Episcopal 1784 60 Preachers Baltimore, MD
 
Episcopalian 1789 Samuel Seabury American Colonies
 
United Brethren 1800 Philip Otterbein &
Martin Boehn
Maryland
 
Disciples of Christ 1827 Thomas & Alexander
Campbell
Kentucky
 
Mormon 1830 Joseph Smith New York
 
Methodist Protestant 1830 Methodist United States
 
Church of Christ 1836 Warren Stone &
Alexander Campbell
Kentucky
 
Seventh Day Adventist 1844 Ellen White Washington, NH
 
Christadelphian (Brethren
of Christ
1844 John Thomas Richmond, VA
 
Salvation Army 1865 William Booth London
 
Holiness 1867 Methodist United States
 
Jehovah's Witnesses 1874 Charles Taze Russell Pennsylvania
 
Christian Science 1879 Mary Baker Eddy Boston
 
Church of God in Christ 1895 Various churches of God Arkansas
 
Church of Nazarene c. 1850-1900 Various religious bodies Pilot Point, TX
 
Pentecstal 1901 Charles F. Parkham Topeka, KS
 
Aglipayan 1902 Gregorio Aglipay Philippines
 
Assemblies of God 1914 Pentecostalism Hot Springs, AZ
 
Iglesia ni Christo 1914 Felix Manalo Philippines
 
Four-square Gospel 1917 Aimee Semple
McPherson
Los Angeles, CA
 
United Church of Christ 1961 Reformed and
Congregationalist
Philadelphia, PA
 
Calvary Chapel 1965 Chuck Smith Costa Mesa, CA
 
United Methodist 1968 Methodist and United
Brethren
Dallas, TX
 
Born-again c. 1970s Various religious bodies United States
 
Harvest Christian 1972 Greg Laurie Riverside, CA
 
Saddleback 1982 Rick Warren California
 
Non-denominational c. 1990s various United States

Source: Scripture Catholic


38 posted on 11/07/2005 6:38:19 AM PST by NYer (“Socialism is the religion people get when they lose their religion")
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To: NYer

Great table! Thanks, that's a keeper!


39 posted on 11/07/2005 7:19:07 AM PST by COBOL2Java (Many Democrats are not weak Americans. But nearly all weak Americans are Democrats.)
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To: NYer
So everyone was a Catholic til 1054, eh??? Right on...

Ha...That's pretty lame...There's not a single group on your list that doesn't have it's roots in 33 A.D except possibly the Catholic church...

Jesus said:
Mat 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Seems unlikely that church leaders in 34 A.D. would have been called 'Father' in view of the admonition from Jesus...

40 posted on 11/07/2005 7:39:01 AM PST by Iscool (Start your own revolution by voting for the candidates the media (and gov't) tells you cannot win.)
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