The Matthew Book Club will meet for four weeks in August, beginning tonight, Monday, August 9 at 7:00 PM.
After the introductory meetings, you will have the opportunity to join a small group and continue reading Matthew.
Or, you can join online and download the chapter-by-chapter reading guides.
Or, you can do a combination of both.
After tonight, the first guides and the opening session will be posted online.
Thank you Cathy for a getting us of to a great start! I have some questions.
ReplyDelete1) You mentioned that Mark's gospel was written during the Roman persecution. Weren't all of the gospels written during a time of Christian persecution? Didn't the persecution end around 300 with Constantine? Why the difference in how the gospels reflect this persecution?
2) You mentioned the HBO series Rome. Is the series worth checking out on Netflix?
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteYes, the persecutions began about 64 and the last big one was right before Constantine. But they ebbed and flowed. It was not steady all the time in all places.
It was particularly brutal in Rome under Nero, and of course Peter and Paul were both put to death during that time. Mark's gospel seems to reflect that reality.
There were other waves, but at times, Christians did just fine, sort of under the radar. Luke's gospel is 'kinder and gentler'. His issue is much more about inclusion of the Gentiles and the poor than it is about dealing with death and destruction, for example.
As for "Rome", I liked it. It is pretty explicit in parts, but I don't think egregiously so. Romans had very different attitudes about nudity and sexuality than we do, and you see that. You also see snippets of popular religion and can see how elements of it seeped into Christian practice. And they make clear how human life was objectifed. And besides all that, it tells the story well of Caesar's rise, downfall and the lead up to Augustus. (He is a kid through most of the series.) Sort of a ripping yarn.
Hi Cathy, I thought the texts used at Mass were of the NAB version of the Bible. That wasn't the case yesterday with the Gospel. The canticle of Mary is the one I see most often and wonder what version of the Bible is it. I truly love this course and its flexibility. R. Shute
ReplyDeleteAbout the NAB and Sunday lectionary:
ReplyDeleteFor the most part, the NAB is the source of the Sunday lectionary. I compared it to the reading, and the divergence this last Sunday was in the words of the Magnificat. As I was listening to it, I thought, "Wow, they substituted the version from the breviary." And you noticed that, too.
I think that the reason they did it was for the benefit of everyone who would know the Magnificat, if they pray the Liturgy of the Hours in the breviary. I believe that the Grail translation is used there.
There are other minor differences between the NAB and the lectionary, often to adjust for an inclusive community. (For example, "brothers and sisters" instead of "brethren.") But they are minor.
This was a more major alteration.
Very observant! :)