NT Wright on the Virgin Conception of Jesus

Of course, legends surround the birth and childhood of many figures who afterwards become important. As historians we have no reason to say that this did not happen in the case of Jesus, and some reasons to say that it did. But by comparison with other legends about other figures, Matthew and Luke look, after all, quite restrained.

Except, of course, in the matter where the real interest centers. Matthew and Luke declare unambiguously that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived. What are we to make of this? It will not do to say that we know the laws of nature and that Joseph, Mary, the early church and the evangelists did not. Mary and Joseph hadn't seen diagrams of Fallopian tubes, but that doesn't mean they didn't know where babies came from. Hence Mary's question to Gabriel (in Luke), and Joseph's determination to break the engagement (in Matthew).


-If this much has grabbed your attention, please take the time to read the rest of the article. It's quite good and thought provoking.

Rediscovering: Arvo Part

Passio
Originally uploaded by Greg Blosser.

An Editorial review from Amazon

Composed in 1982 and later recorded by the Hilliard Ensemble on ECM, Arvo Pärt’s Passio (Passion According to St. John) made its composer famous, and rightly so. It is a work of unique beauty. Its meditative, intensely spiritual quality is static; the listener will find no outbursts or overtly dramatic moments to latch on to as one does in Bach's Passions. Here the story is told with a lack of overt emotionalism which quickly becomes hypnotic.
--Robert Levine

Today

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Listening To

Without Gravity
Originally uploaded by Greg Blosser.

Without Gravity- Icelandic folk, alt-country, ala Damien Rice & Nick Drake. Good.