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Judi Lynn

(160,661 posts) Thu Apr 10, 2014, 05:58 PM Apr 2014

'Jesus's Wife' papyrus fragment not a forgery, scientists say [View all]

Source: Reuters

'Jesus's Wife' papyrus fragment not a forgery, scientists say
By Jonathan Allen
Fri Apr 11, 2014 1:52am IST

REUTERS - Scientists who examined a controversial fragment of papyrus written in Egyptian Coptic in which Jesus speaks of his wife concluded in papers published on Thursday that the papyrus and ink are probably ancient and not a modern forgery.

The existence of the fragment, known as the "Gospel of Jesus's Wife," was made public at an academic conference in 2012. It is seen by some as a glimpse of how ancient Christians thought while decried by others, including the Vatican, as an absurd fake.

Scientific studies performed over the last two years at various universities suggest both the ink and the papyrus are probably no newer than the 9th century and that the language and writing style are authentic for the period.

"All of that points towards the papyrus being ancient and the papyrus having been written on in antiquity," Karen King, the Harvard Divinity School historian who first presented the fragment in 2012, told reporters on a conference call.

Read more: http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/04/10/usa-religion-papyrus-idINDEEA390E920140410?rpc=401&feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=401

95 replies

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Highlight:

'Jesus's Wife' papyrus fragment not a forgery, scientists say [View all] Judi Lynn Apr 2014 OP

This is a fascinating story. Pangolino Apr 2014 #1

"Take my wife...Please" itsrobert Apr 2014 #4

Thank You For The Laugh, Sir The Magistrate Apr 2014 #5

! DeSwiss Apr 2014 #16

Nicely done! Tom Ripley Apr 2014 #58

Welcome to DU, Pangolino! calimary Apr 2014 #67

DUZY! KittyWampus Apr 2014 #80

you beat me to it! Same idea, different thread... demwing Apr 2014 #95

Billions Of Heads Set To Explode !!! WillyT Apr 2014 #2

Nope NCcoast Apr 2014 #8

wait until they find out that the world is round, that will shake them up for sure. olddad56 Apr 2014 #15

Or that Jesus was not white Aldo Leopold Apr 2014 #28

No because it is not an early manuscript. hrmjustin Apr 2014 #55

Well, that settles it then. progressoid Apr 2014 #3

9th century too late to be of any use unless proven to be a copy of something from first century on point Apr 2014 #6

They say it is, "No newer than the 9th century . . ." another_liberal Apr 2014 #17

Why would one assume that? defacto7 Apr 2014 #22

Why? another_liberal Apr 2014 #49

A 9th. century document okasha Apr 2014 #71

True, though not as significant as if it is of fifth century . . . another_liberal Apr 2014 #83

Actually, I think the later date would be more significant. okasha Apr 2014 #84

Even the four "main" Gospels were written decades after his death, weren't they? nomorenomore08 Apr 2014 #94

I saw it might be as early as the 4th century. hrmjustin Apr 2014 #56

A 4th century date would compare with the earliest copies we have of the New Testament . . . another_liberal Apr 2014 #62

I believe Jesus ... GeorgeGist Apr 2014 #7

I believe Jesus ... antiquie Apr 2014 #9

I believe Jesus was a good man also, but the book they wrote about him... olddad56 Apr 2014 #14

It wasn't written to be a documentary, but try telling that to the literalists. n/t winter is coming Apr 2014 #18

Plus, it wasn't written to be a book. ~ nt antiquie Apr 2014 #20

Interestingly, a lot of atheists make the same mistake . . . markpkessinger Apr 2014 #39

Interesting comment. defacto7 Apr 2014 #45

It is a strange argument.... markpkessinger Apr 2014 #46

intersting contention, that if your spirituality doesn't align with christianity, olddad56 Apr 2014 #52

That isn't my contention at all... markpkessinger Apr 2014 #63

! DeSwiss Apr 2014 #60

We KNOW there's material all around us FiveGoodMen Apr 2014 #90

'I point out to them that nowhere in the collection of religious writings we call the "Bible" FiveGoodMen Apr 2014 #91

That very much depends on the particular church in question . . . markpkessinger Apr 2014 #92

Then your church is better than the one I grew up in FiveGoodMen Apr 2014 #93

I understand Jesus was invented defacto7 Apr 2014 #23

I'm not a scholar and rely too heavily on wiki. antiquie Apr 2014 #27

Yeah, I've read that defacto7 Apr 2014 #44

There is not too much "contemporaneous" evidence of Plato, either. I'm an atheist, but the attacks Texas Lawyer Apr 2014 #70

I think that is a fair statement. Many ancient if not most ancient Biblical figures and events have Douglas Carpenter Apr 2014 #76

I'd say 'evidence' for Plato is considerably stronger than for Jesus of Nazareth ... brett_jv Apr 2014 #85

Interesting article in the most recent issue of Skeptic Aldo Leopold Apr 2014 #29

There's a 2nd century fragment of John's Gospel muriel_volestrangler Apr 2014 #32

The Gospel of Thomas is about 50AD. He claims he is Jesus twin. leftyladyfrommo Apr 2014 #66

Yes - I was pointing to a copy that is physically from the 2nd century muriel_volestrangler Apr 2014 #68

I've never even heard of the Tacitus' Annals. leftyladyfrommo Apr 2014 #73

Except he had some anger problems and took issue with his mom sakabatou Apr 2014 #82

That makes me happy. 840high Apr 2014 #10

Me too. Rose Siding Apr 2014 #24

So then, Why did Jesus appear to Mary Magdalene 1st after He rose from the dead?? hue Apr 2014 #11

Maybe she was his wife. scarletwoman Apr 2014 #12

"Hey, I'm back. Mind washing my shroud?" n/t winter is coming Apr 2014 #19

Or, "Hey, Shroud, mind washing my back?" Aldo Leopold Apr 2014 #30

Sure, the Ben-Joseph's boy? DeSwiss Apr 2014 #13

One thing I knew for sure... yuiyoshida Apr 2014 #47

They're all just labels..... DeSwiss Apr 2014 #59

If ever I have to fill out a form yuiyoshida Apr 2014 #64

Someone Wrote In 800 AD Baconeater Apr 2014 #21

You are correct about the gnostics... defacto7 Apr 2014 #26

Josephus's "The Jewish war" in its Slovak version, has references to Christ: happyslug Apr 2014 #86

Thank you for that information. n/t leftyladyfrommo Apr 2014 #87

I did make one mistake, it appear Josephus wrote in Aramaic NOT Greek happyslug Apr 2014 #88

That's a lot of information happyslug. defacto7 Apr 2014 #89

+1 Aldo Leopold Apr 2014 #31

It is all bullshit, God's only son is Pat Robertson. olddad56 Apr 2014 #54

I believe Jesus Pale Blue Dot Apr 2014 #25

Years ago, rickyhall Apr 2014 #33

Far as I know, you have to be married today in order to be a rabbi. n/t Benton D Struckcheon Apr 2014 #35

Many Buddhists believe that Jesus studied the Lotus Sutra, which Shakyamumi (AKA "the Buddha") DesertDiamond Apr 2014 #34

It is amazing rickyhall Apr 2014 #69

Patanjali's "Yoga Aphorisms" lists the results of increasingly deep levels of meditation. KittyWampus Apr 2014 #81

The Catholic Church is right--it's a made up story... brooklynite Apr 2014 #36

Hey Honey, just out with the disciples again... Blue Owl Apr 2014 #37

I like to think of Jesus flying rabbit Apr 2014 #38

Freebird!!!!!! blackspade Apr 2014 #43

I like to think of Jesus as a mischievous badger underpants Apr 2014 #72

Shake 'n' Bake! flying rabbit Apr 2014 #78

intriguingly it wasn't this that pushed the early church into canonization MisterP Apr 2014 #40

That's ridiculous. Jesus didn't have a wife. Kablooie Apr 2014 #41

An interesting conundrum for the Christians. blackspade Apr 2014 #42

This just doesn't fit the acceptable narrative. Enthusiast Apr 2014 #48

They only believe what they choose to. It will be like it never happened. rehabanderson Apr 2014 #50

The deniers are twisting themselves into pretzels mainer Apr 2014 #51

The advocates shouldn't get too happy either... brooklynite Apr 2014 #79

I find the argument of the silence about Jesus' married state is important: olegramps Apr 2014 #53

It is not changing my faith at all. hrmjustin Apr 2014 #57

Good for you. Cheerful Charlie Apr 2014 #65

yawn Puzzledtraveller Apr 2014 #61

Marriage. Calista241 Apr 2014 #74

maybe he just got married in the eyes of himself!!!! Theyletmeeatcake2 Apr 2014 #75

Hi hoe the dairy oh Jesus had a wife. Jesuse had a wife. Jesus had a wife. Lint Head Apr 2014 #77