I've always noted surface similarities between the account of Polycarp's martyrdom and Christ's crucifixion as recorded in the gospels.

But I haven't seen the similarity to the same degree that Lightfoot describes (Lightfoot, Ignatius & Polycarp, vol II pt 1, pp. 594-595). He writes:

The writers [of Martyrdom of Polycarp] betray an eagerness to find parallels between the sufferings of their martyred bishop and the passion of Our Lord. ... Accordingly the idea of literal conformity to the sufferings and death of Christ runs like a thread through the whole document. Some of the coincidences are fairly obvious; in other cases the parallelism is highly artificial.

The list is a long one.

• The officer who apprehended Polycarp was named Herod (MPoly 1).
• Polycarp's location betrayed by a slave boy is likened to Judas' betrayal of Jesus, though this is a bit of a stretch. (MPoly 2)
• Polycarp, like Christ, was betrayed by those in his own "household' (though again, a bit of a stretch). (MPoly 6)
• Polycarp predicted his death by fire, much like Christ prophesied his own death (MPoly 5)
• Polycarp didn't flee to escape his capture, much like Christ did not hide or run away (MPoly 1)
• Polycarp's pursuers were armed sought him "as a robber" (MPoly 7)
• Polycarp's declaration of "God's will be done" (MPoly 7, cf. Mt 26.42)
• A voice from heaven encouraging Polycarp (MPoly 9, cf. Jn 12.28)
• Polycarp's body pierced (MPoly 16, cf. Jn 19.34)
• Interference of Jews in disposing the body (MPoly 17, cf. Mt 28.62)

Lightfoot goes into more detail at several points and adds other points to his list that I've not included above. Most interesting to me is the thought that several martyrdom stories, not just Polycarp's, contain elements that seem to be related back to the suffering and crucifixion of Christ.

Apparently some use this as evidence that these sorts of stories are false or are embellished to the point so as to not be reliable. But this sort of conclusion seems invalid to me (as it does to Lightfoot). Why wouldn't Christians pick out and emphasize supposed similarities between the suffering of a martyr and the crucifixion of Christ? The point isn't that Polycarp was some sort of Christ figure -- far from it. The point in the narrative of Polycarp's death is that he died a death worthy of a saint. There may very easily be some embellishment in the account (the bit about all the blood extinguishing the fire, a dove flying out of Polycarp's body, and the sweet resultant aroma seems a little much to me) but that doesn't mean we throw the whole thing out as fiction.

I've been feeling nostalgic recently. Dad, you'll appreciate this.

Within the past week, I remembered how my Dad always used to listen to Willie Nelson in the car. Specifically, I remember the album Stardust (link requires Rhapsody).

I vividly remember driving in the car, just me and my Dad, from our house to the Navy Exchange for something or other. I remember the car -- a 1977 [or 1976?] silver Ford Granada with maroon interior. Willie Nelson was playing on the cassette deck. And my Dad and I were singing Georgia On My Mind and Blue Skies, along with Willie, as we were headed to the store.

Why do I remember this? I'm not sure. I was looking for a good edition of Ray Charles singing Georgia On My Mind, but Rhapsody's only edition (that I can find) is Ray singing live, and the recording isn't the best. Then I saw Willie's version and had to check it out again. I'd recently mentioned to a friend how my Dad used to listen to Willie in the car, and how we'd occasionally sing along. I guess actually seeing the link in Rhapsody put me over the edge.

And when I listened to the album, I was right back in the silver Ford Granada, sitting in the front seat with Dad, singing right along.

Ahhhhhh, nostalgia.

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While I'm here, I'll offer a short side note. I haven't been blogging much lately, either here or over at PastoralEpistles.com. I've been trying to spend my spare time a bit more focused on my writing project on the Pastoral Epistles, which means less outside reading. In addition to this, I've had something else come up that I'm not prepared to blog about (don't worry, it's all good) that has caused me to focus my attention elsewhere. I'm still here, I'll just be blogging less frequently than in the past.

Clicking a link from the home page in Real Rhapsody today, I stumbled upon James Carr. The album is The Essential James Carr.

This man's voice exudes soul. The Rhapsody "mini-review" says it all:

Simply put: Carr has one of the most devastating deep soul voices of all time. He makes the line "just like the fish needs the ocean/just like rough hands need a little lotion" on "A Man Needs a Woman" sound like scripture, and his take on "Dark End of the Street" will turn you into dust. His music is totally essential.

You need to listen to this album if you have Real Rhapsody. If you look back fondly on the tune "Stand By Me" by Ben  E. King (before its horrible radio over-play when the movie of the same name was released), then you will enjoy this album.

Here's a short bio on James Carr. Sounds like a sad story. If you have Rhapsody, take some time and give the album a good listen.

Checking the NETS Provisional edition site again, I note the presence of a few books I hadn't seen yet:

• Tobit
• Proverbs
• Lamentations
• Susanna

Hop on over & grab 'em while they're hot.

I came across these in unrelated searching awhile back.

The Bibles Repository

Most interesting (to me, anyway) are the facsimile editions of Codices Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, and Sinaiticus.

Here is more information about the host, bibles.org.uk.

My friend and co-worker Jacob Carpenter just zapped me a link to Jack Johnson's new album, now on Rhapsody: In Between Dreams.

Sounds like typical Jack Johnson — which is awesome. Too often artists seem to get restless with their style and try all sorts of different things when they should stick with their bread and butter. With Jack Johnson, the style is easy, effortless acoustic groove with a laid-back surfer style. Anything by Jack is highly recommended.

If you're interested and don't have Rhapsody, here's Jack Johnson's web site.

I wrote the following short essay in long-hand on January 1, 2005.

I need to preface this by saying that it was written as a stream of consciousness, with very little stopping along the way. I'd only really worked out the first sentence or two before putting pen to paper. I realize I'm making large leaps in some places, but ... hey, you get what you pay for.

I've stewed on it off and on over the past few months and I'm still not sure what I think of it. I'd been reading about Erasmus and humanism, and thinking about how things had progressed from the Erasmian sense of humanism into the "secular humanism" of today. Particularly, I'd been considering the thought that secular humanism has essentially become a religion in its own right. I freely admit I'm rather separated from such things in my day-to-day context, and that some of my understanding of "secular humanism" is based on stereotypical (and thus perhaps erroneous) conceptions.

I've gone back and forth (and back, and forth, and back again) on whether I should post it, but I'm feeling bold right now, so here it is. Feel free to leave comments to tell me what you think.

Ok, that's enough with the disclaimers. On with the show.

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Humanism as Religion

Self-determination, self-preservation and no self-condemnation combine to empower man. These convince him that he has no need of God. For when man is his own source of knowledge, his own source of power, and his own source of authority, he has truly replaced God.

Man needs God for atonement. Man needs God for redemption. Man needs God for salvation. When man has devised a system to provide these qualities, he has truly replaced God.

Man removes his need for atonement, redemption and salvation by removing sin from his nature. First man posits a "blank state" at birth; waiting to be filled. Next the humanistic doctrine of innate goodness convinces man that goodness and purity (the non-judgmental humanistic equivalents of atonement and redemption) are available inside of all with simple application of effort.

Man relies on science as the sole basis of knowledge. Man relies on his own posited "innate goodness" to provide moral guidance.

Man is doomed.

Man needs God. We will die without Him.

We have become too smart for our own good. We have forsaken faith in an effort to become omniscient on our own. We have dethroned God and replaced him with rationality. We have deduced our way down an erroneous chain of logic and ended up wholly corrupt.

In denying God and enthroning reason we have taken the ultimate final step. We have enshrined reason as a god and forsaken Christ.

Christians must persevere in these days. Faith is simply that: faith. Faith is not holding to obvious falsehoods in the light of overwhelming evidence; faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you cannot see.

Humanism and its enshrined reason have betrayed this. These presuppose that all is rational and all is knowable; that through the application of reason and intellect man can do whatever he chooses. Thus there is no mystery. If a problem arises -- trivial or serious -- rational man believes he can address it adequately.

This is the sin of Adam and Eve.

We have come full circle.

Come, Lord Jesus. Come.

On the recommendation of a friend, I've been listening to music by an artist named Madeleine Peyroux.

It is bluesy/jazzy with a little bit of country tinge. However, the most remarkable thing is that Ms. Peyroux's voice reminds me of Billie Holiday and, to a degree, Ella Fitzgerald every time I hear it.

I couldn't listen to this all of the time, but it is a refreshing listen on occasion. If you have Real Rhapsody, there are links below to playlists for each of her available albums.

• Madeleine Peyroux: Dreamland
• Madeleine Peyroux: Careless Love