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The second installment of BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY'S Montanism Trilogy examines the Christian reactions to this mysterious movement. Host Chris Palmero presents testimonies from Irenaeus, the Shepherd of Hermas, the Didache, Epiphanius, and of course, Eusebius. He also tackles a burning question: did Tertullian really convert to the New Prophecy, or was that illustrious fool merely participating in an elaborate LARP?Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about why Christians blow on the faces of their converts; whether Eusebius can really be trusted; the "Heretic's Journey;" whether the Catholics were trying to assassinate Montanus, Maximilla, and Priscilla; whether Irenaeus was a secret Montanist sympathizer; whether the Didache was originally a Montanist book; what the controversy between Christianity and the New Prophecy was really about; why Tertullian got involved in this movement; and how the pagan Celsus has taught us more about this "heresy" than any Christian commentator ever could. The host also shares a special time-saving technique that anyone can use when writing about Philip's Daughters.Opening reading: The Canons of the Council of Constantinople, from the late fourth century, look forward to the age in which Montanism eventually fades from the earth.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:48 - Reading: COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE, Canon 7.05:24 - OPENING Remarks.09:33 - Reading: FIRMILIAN, Epistle 74, to Cyprian.15:10 - A SAFETY Briefing before Reading Eusebius.18:41 - Testimony of THE ANONYMOUS. His Confused Origin Story for Montanus.22:14 - The Anonymous: The HERETIC'S JOURNEY.26:43 - The Anonymous: PROPHET-KILLERS.30:49 - The Anonymous: A Possible MATTHEW Reference.34:13 - The Anonymous: AMMIA and QUADRATUS.42:25 - Reading: EPIPHANIUS, Panarion, On the Quintillianists.45:38 - Testimony of IRENAEUS.54:29 - Testimony of CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA.54:58 - Testimony of COMMANDER SHEPHERD OF HERMAS.59:50 - Testimony of THE DIDACHE.1:02:30 - Testimony of EPIPHANIUS.1:09:11 - On the PARACLETE.1:15:21 - On JESUS.1:16:25 - On PHILIP'S DAUGHTERS.1:27:47 - Reading: WILLIAM TABERNEE, Prophets and Gravestones.1:28:45 - Tertullian as Montanist LARPER.1:45:47 - Testimony of CELSUS.1:49:52 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY presents the first installment of a trilogy of shows on the Great Montanist "Heresy." Host Chris Palmero examines the tremendous impact that the second century religious movement of Montanism had on Christianity actually becoming a distinct religion. At the same time, Montanism will be revealed to be a heretical Jewish movement that originally had nothing to do with Christianity.For the first time ever on this show, we find ourselves in "Ordinary Time," surveying a historical narrative from the late 100's AD. This is the dividing line between Christian history and pre-history, and we are at the very moment when the Church first found it necessary to create a backstory for itself. Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about the theologian's explanation of Montanism and the flaws inherent in that explanation; about the oracles of the three mad prophets Montanus, Maximilla, and Priscilla; about the suspicious lack of connection between Montanism and Christianity; about the possible true date of this movement's origins; about the uncanny links between the New Prophecy and Blade Runner; and about a possible alternate history in which women led Christianity throughout history, Bene Gesserit-style. A new segment is introduced in which a history of the 1980's AD is given, but as if written by Eusebius.Opening reading: A Montanist prophetess delivers a fiery exhortation to her fellow women, in a passage that has ironically been preserved by Schmucko Supremo Tertullian.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:47 - Reading: ANONYMOUS PROPHETESS, De Fuga in Persecutione.04:33 - The Theologians' MASTER NARRATIVE about Montanism.09:07 - The PROBLEMS of the Master Narrative.15:16 - Montanism is BLADE RUNNER.20:29 - Let the Women Be VIOLENT.32:42 - OPENING Remarks.49:06 - Reading: TERTULLIAN, De Anima.50:45 - MODERN Relevance of Montanism.54:41 - The Oracles of MONTANUS.1:06:14 - The Oracles of PRISCILLA.1:11:05 - The Oracles of MAXIMILLA.1:19:17 - Calculating the DATE of the New Prophecy.1:30:13 - Shit My Eusebius Says: On the 1980's.1:34:07 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY explores the mystery of the strange portrayal of Paul in the Acts of the Apostles. Host Chris Palmero carefully examines the stories about Paul in Acts, and explains the author's motive for depicting him as a loyal, submissive, even-tempered company man: the polar opposite of the moody, outspoken mystic who speaks from Paul's letters.Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about the possible sources of Acts of the Apostles and the author's true motive for writing it, about that author's obsession with telling us that Paul was hardly ever alone, about whether and why Peter's career mirrors Paul's, about the author's reluctance to call Paul an "apostle," about how Acts was written in a universe that lacked the dimension of time, about Simon Magus and Stephen and Philip, about the "Hellenists" and who they really were, about Paul's supposed dual names, about the suppressed story of his conversion, about how Acts distorts two major events from his career, and whether he was bald.Opening reading: Paul's malicious blinding of a Jewish magician is exposed as a Christian rewrite of a sectarian fable in which the Christians themselves were the original antagonists.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:47 - Reading: ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, Paul Blinds the Magician "Bar-Jesus."18:00 - OPENING Remarks.23:57 - EXCURSUS: What Did PAUL Look Like?31:42 - The Theologians RELY on Acts of the Apostles.34:15 - The Theologians PSYCHO-ANALYZE Paul and CANNIBALIZE Acts.41:30 - Intro to the Paul of Acts. He is Never ALONE.53:47 - The Lost Acts of Paul and the Genesis of ACTS.1:05:16 - EXCURSUS: Paul's AGE.1:12:44 - PETER in Acts; His Relation to PAUL.1:23:00 - Whether Acts Considers Paul an APOSTLE.1:29:15 - The Dimension of TIME in Acts.1:36:09 - The Mysterious "HELLENISTS."1:43:57 - On the Story of STEPHEN.1:47:54 - Paul's Two NAMES.1:52:23 - Encounters with SIMON MAGUS and the Ethiopian EUNUCH.1:59:30 - How Acts Distorts Paul's CONVERSION.2:13:07 - How Acts Distorts the COLLECTION for the Saints.2:25:23 - Paul's Extraordinarily Lame PREACHING in Acts.2:36:23 - How Acts Distorts the Famous MEETING in Jerusalem.2:48:09 - Mysteries of Acts to Explore in Future EPISODES.2:50:27 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

A haze of mystery surrounds the figure of Paul and his confusing, contradictory letters - especially the Matryoshka Doll that is his First Letter to the Corinthians, which seems to have eight smaller letters hiding inside of it. But host Chris Palmero reveals that First Corinthians is not only the key to understanding how and when Paul's letters were actually written. It's also "the shining weapon" that just might help us cut through the haze of mystery and reveal the truth about the Historical Paul.BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY continues its New Testament journey with a series of episodes on the Historical Paul and his most important letter. First Corinthians will be revealed as a late and composite patchwork - the product of serial editing over a period of decades, and clashing doctrines and opinions of the Pauline clerics who wrote in the name of a semi-mythical figure.Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about why the historical Paul should be considered the greatest genius in the history of the universe, about the many strange problems in the initial chapters of First Corinthians, about the strange "glitch in the matrix" feeling that we sometimes get when reading Christian texts, about the source of Paul's mysterious "ailment" to which (some of) his letters allude, and about why these second century clerics chose to write in Paul's name.Opening reading: The great psychologist Julian Jaynes believed that ancient people had no consciousness. Might this help us understand why Paul's letters sometimes resemble angry, argumentative online comment sections, rather than actual epistles?Note: the host reads "ultra-literal" New Testament translations at one point. These come from www.biblicalaudio.com. Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:48 - Reading: JULIAN JAYNES, The Mind of Iliad.04:33 - The PROBLEM of First Corinthians.26:08 - OPENING Remarks.31:45 - Reading: CLEMENTINE HOMILIES.34:54 - The IMPROBABLE Paul.50:24 - Paul's Letters PSEUDEPIGRAPHAL.1:03:22 - First Corinthians The SHINING WEAPON.1:09:04 - OVERVIEW of First Corinthians, As Read.1:29:58 - Reading: The GNOSTIC Segment of First Corinthians.1:40:25 - Intro to the CRITICAL READING of First Corinthians.1:41:54 - The GREETING.1:48:34 - The FACTION Segment.2:05:14 - The TEMPLE Segment.2:11:06 - The GNOSTIC Segment Revisited.2:19:09 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

The letter of Jude is a short, strange little book; a violent and angry "diss track" that's ignored by most Christian believers and neglected by theologians. And it has no home in the traditional paradigm. BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY continues its New Testament Journey, as host Chris Palmero examines the evidence for the date and origin of Jude, and tries to find a home for it. If even this innocuous little letter is found to be late and spurious, what implications does that have for the other Christian scriptures?Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about the Letter of Jude, its use of apocryphal books, the questions over its canonicity, its earliest reception, and its likely date and occasion for writing.Opening reading: The Odes of Solomon are a mysterious book of hymns, said to have been written under the influence of the gospel of John and after 100 AD.  But their suspiciously "pre-Christian" character - including a total lack of knowledge about Jesus of Nazareth - suggest a hidden secret that may be a key to Christian origins.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:47 - Reading: ODES OF SOLOMON, Ode 10.20:25 - OPENING Remarks.21:49 - Top News Story: Katy CURSE Tablet.26:07 - Introduction to JUDE.30:29 - STRUCTURE and CONTENTS of Jude.38:58 - Use of the Book of ENOCH.44:49 - Alleged Use of the ASSUMPTION OF MOSES.50:47 - A Strange TEXT VARIANT.54:03 - CANONICITY of Jude.1:08:51 - Reception: IRENAEUS1:11:08 - Reception: TERTULLIAN.1:12:53 - Reception: CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA.1:13:55 - Reception: ORIGEN.1:14:40 - Reception: MARTYRDOM OF POLYCARP.1:18:16 - Reception: POLYCARP to the PHILIPPIANS.1:19:34 - Reception: SHEPHERD OF HERMAS.1:20:59 - Reception: ATHENAGORAS.1:24:25 - Reception: THEOPHILUS OF ANTIOCH.1:26:28 - Reception: CANON OF MURATORI.1:27:55 - Reception: SECOND PETER.1:30:19 - TERMINUS Dates for Jude.1:32:52 - Date of Jude according to FUNDAMENTALISTS.1:40:30 - LATER Date of Jude according to Conventional Theologians.1:43:29 - EARLIER Date of Jude according to Conventional Theologians.1:49:11 - The Date of Jude according to BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY.1:55:18 - Jude as PSEUDEPIGRAPHON.2:01:29 - MORE Hints of a Late Date.2:10:17 - Identity of Jude's OPPONENTS.2:18:12 - On the AUTHORSHIP of Jude.2:31:29 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY continues its New Testament Journey with the second part of the series on Luke's gospel.  Host Chris Palmero examines the traditional views on Luke's date, responds to them, and provides his own thoughts on this self-evidently late text.Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about how fundamentalists and mainstream theologians have determined the date of Luke's gospel, about the absurdity of the "80 to 90 AD" date range in which it's commonly placed, about the major anachronisms found within its pages, and about the likely process by which its title was assigned.Opening reading: Joseph Smith's fake cover story from 1832 about the beginnings of the Mormon faith shows how difficult it can be to pin down the Day One origins of any religion. Also featured in the episode are readings from Alfred Loisy (on the late date of Luke's gospel), Luke's prologue, and the New York Times (on the discovery of Luke's skeleton).Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:48 - Reading: JOSEPH SMITH, Unpublished History.15:06 - OPENING Remarks.22:21 - EXCURSUS on Late Dates for the Gospels.31:43- Date of Luke according to FUNDAMENTALISTS.38:33 - RESPONSE to the Fundamentalists.55:17 - LATER Date of Luke according to Conventional Theologians.59:18 - RESPONSE to their Arguments.1:06:42 - EARLIER Date of Luke according to Conventional Theologians.1:10:24 - RESPONSE to their Arguments.1:15:51 - Theologians' General Arguments for an ANTE-Second Century Date.1:22:11 - The Date of Luke according to BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY.1:32:52 - Luke's Use of JOSEPHUS.1:42:19 - ANACHRONISMS in Luke.1:53:04 - On the AUTHORSHIP of Luke.2:01:06 - Reading: THE NEW YORK TIMES: Article about Luke's Skeleton.2:03:10 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY'S journey through the New Testament continues with the undeniably late gospel of Luke. This is the first of a two part episode. Host Chris Palmero examines the structure and sources of Luke, and tracks Luke's earliest mentions in history. What we'll find is that Luke's gospel can't be detected in the historical record until almost the very end of the second century. When it finally appears, we can see that it seems to have gone through at least two phases of editing. Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about the theory of Proto-Luke; as well as the strange fact that the first draft of Luke appears to have been unaware of Mark. The supposed use and reception of Luke's gospel by the great arch-heretic Marcion is also covered. In the next episode, the date of the book will be examined.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:48  - Reading: Gospel of LUKE, Synagogue Preaching Vignette.19:21 - Excursus: Was Jesus LITERATE?23:56 - OPENING Remarks.27:32 - Top News Story: Irenaeus Now a DOCTOR of the Church.34:55 - 1:18:26 - STRUCTURE and SOURCES  of LUKE.34:55 - PROTO-LUKE.47:18 - MARK'S Gospel.57:08 - Minor Agreements with MATTHEW.1:06:51 - BIRTH Narrative.1:18:26 - 2:18:24 - RECEPTION of Luke.1:18:26 - Paul's LETTERS.1:20:03 - IRENAEUS.1:29:46 - HIPPOLYTUS.1:33:52 - PASTORAL Letters.1:34:50 - JOHN'S Gospel.1:37:55 - Canon of MURATORI.1:40:55 - PAPIAS.1:45:58 - CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA.1:49:04 - EUSEBIUS.1:49:34 - JEROME.1:54:02 - Anti-Marcionite and Monarchian PROLOGUES.1:56:51 - MARCION.2:15:28 - 2 CLEMENT; IGNATIUS.2:18:24 - TERMINUS Dates for Luke.2:23:37 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

Host Chris Palmero has been listening to a lot of Christian apologetics programs lately. He is therefore now compelled to conduct a full-length parody of them. In this satirical broadcast, Dr. E, the renowned host of the Season of Reason Christian Apologetics Show, interviews the formidable Christian apologist Dr. Walter Pupp. Dr. Pupp - who was saved by the powerful passage in Mark that says that Jesus was asleep with his head on a cushion - is a former prosecutor whose experience in the 21st century American courtroom is readily applied to tracing the origins and development of a classical Mediterranean religion. BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY generally likes to discuss problems with the mainstream or conventional view of Christian origins, but every now and then it's useful to highlight the apologetics and fundamentalists arguments as well. It's a fascinating world in which you can hear such things as "the gospels are reliable because they differ, and they're also reliable because they agree."Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud0:00 - INTRODUCTION by Chris Palmero.1:58 - SEASON OF REASON Introduction.6:35 - QUESTION: Why Write an Apologetics Book for 24-Month-Olds?7:45 - QUESTION: Why are Children Losing their Faith at a Younger Age?9:49 - QUESTION: How Did You Come to See the Gospels as Reliable?14:12 - QUESTION: What's Your First Reason for Seeing the Gospels as Reliable?17:29 - QUESTION: What's Your Second Reason for Seeing the Gospels as Reliable?18:49 - QUESTION: What's Your Third Reason for Seeing the Gospels as Reliable?19:47 - QUESTION: What Do You Say to Those Who Doubt the Empty Tomb Account?27:22 - QUESTION: What Happened on the Day of the Resurrection?34:39 - QUESTION: Why Do Non-Believers Criticize the Bible?Support the show

The gospel of Matthew is in the sights of BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY's Brighten the Corners miniseries on the late dates and spurious authorship of the New Testament books. Host Chris Palmero discusses the limits of the conventional ways of assigning a date to Matthew's gospel.Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about how both fundamentalists and mainstream theologians have determined the date of Matthew's gospel, about the likely origin and background of this book, about some honking big anachronisms that are found in it, and about its parallels with Talmudic texts created by the early rabbis - Matthew's true opponents in the creation of this famous second century gospel. Opening reading: Matthew's story of the disciples plucking the heads of grain is revealed to be one of the best guides to the way he approached Mark's material.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:46 - Opening reading: Gospel of MARK vs. Gospel of MATTHEW.20:15 - OPENING Remarks.29:03 - STRUCTURE and SOURCES of Matthew's Gospel.42:45 - TERMINUS Dates for Matthew.1:14:58 - Date of Matthew according to FUNDAMENTALISTS.1:25:34 - LATER Date of Matthew according to Conventional Theologians.1:33:55 - EARLIER Date of Matthew according to Conventional Theologians.1:38:01 - The Date of Matthew according to BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY.1:51:46 - ANACHRONISMS in Matthew.1:57:37 - RESPONSE to the Theologians' Arguments.2:16:46 - More EVIDENCE of a Late Date for Matthew.2:23:46 - On the AUTHORSHIP of Matthew.2:32:03 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY continues to brighten the corners with an exploration of the date and authorship of the gospel of Mark. Host Chris Palmero examines the conventional paradigms and presents a new perspective.Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about how mainstream theologians - as well as fundamentalists - have pinpointed the date of Mark's gospel, about their theories on its authorship, and about the infamous "P52" papyrus that supposedly suggests an early date for the gospels.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:00 - OPENING Remarks.15:26 - Dating the New Testament GENERALLY. The Stability Margin.29:41 - On P52.36:49 - TERMINUS Dates for Mark.50:58 - Date of Mark according to FUNDAMENTALISTS.1:02:03 - LATER Date of Mark according to Conventional Theologians.1:09:53 - EARLIER Date of Mark according to Conventional Theologians.1:16:06 - RESPONSE to the Theologians' Arguments.1:38:34 - More Evidence of a LATE Date for Mark.1:46:39 - On the AUTHORSHIP of Mark.1:51:02 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY presents its recurring Brighten the Corners miniseries that explains the historical background of major topics in Christian origins. Today, host Chris Palmero explores the creation of the New Testament.Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about the theory of the theologian David Trobisch: that a single, original, and complete "first edition" of the New Testament was released in the late second century. This radical hypothesis, and its relation to the late origins of Christianity, is explained. We will consider why the early Christian theologians all immediately started taking their marching orders from this new collection as soon as it appeared. How could this be, if their religion had been developing over a period of five generations up until then?Opening reading: Jesus' workplace harassment of the Samaritan woman from the gospel of John evokes an exploration of Simon Magus. How does this mysterious figure tie in to the beginnings of Christianity?Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:46 - Reading: Gospel of JOHN.17:03 - OPENING Remarks.20:33 - Top News Story: SODOM PAPER.28:03 - INTRO to Brighten the Corners.36:39 - The CONVENTIONAL View of how the New Testament was Formed.1:01:11 - Intro to the DAVID TROBISCH Theory.1:07:01 - Trobisch's Evidence: NOMINA SACRA.1:11:34 - Trobisch's Evidence: CODEX.1:16:28 - Trobisch's Evidence: ARRANGEMENT of the Books.1:24:41 - Trobisch's Evidence: TITLES of the Books.1:34:55 - CRITICISMS of the Trobisch Theory.1:46:11 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

The series finale of the exposure of Pliny's letter about Christians as a forgery. BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY surveys the wreckage left in its wake. We climbed and we climbed. Oh, how we climbed.Anyone who listens to this episode can learn that no one until 1502 AD seems aware of Pliny's Letter, unless they've heard about it from the writings of Tertullian. Host Chris Palmero also does a wrap-up refuting the arguments for the letter's authenticity, explains why it was forged, and speculates on the identity of the forger. A strange guest appearance closes the show.Opening reading: In "Antiquity Unveiled," J.M. Roberts describes a séance in which Pliny the Younger was summoned from the dead.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:47 - Reading: J.M. ROBERTS, Antiquity Unveiled.02:23 - OPENING Remarks.13:41 - Close Reading RE-INTRO.14:46 - REDCARD: Intertextuality with Mark (Two Women).16:37 - Close Reading CONTINUATION.18:28 - REDCARD: Lack of Incidence of Christianity.19:30 - REDCARD: Groups of Three.20:46 - REDCARD: Christianity a "Danger."21:07 - REDCARD: Non Sequitur on Repentance.23:04 - REDCARD: Intertextuality with Acts (Temples Bankrupt).25:18 - Discussion of Trajan's RESPONSE.30:58 - Intro to the Reception WALKABOUT.42:53 - The Reception WALKABOUT.1:18:11 - Arguments for AUTHENTICITY.1:29:44 - Why Pliny's Letter was FORGED.1:38:40 - IDENTITY of the Forger.1:44:04 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

The assault on Pliny's Letter about the Christians approaches its glorious conclusion. We continue the close reading and criticism of this famous text.Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about how even on the most conservative models, there wouldn't have been enough Christians in the entire world in the time of Pliny for the events he describes to have taken place. Host Chris Palmero also examines strange literary devices and obvious anachronisms used by the forger, such as his problem-laden discussion of the Christian ceremony and worship - which appears to draw from Christian customs from a century after the purported time of writing. It's part of BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY's implacable campaign against the great fortress of the theologians that is Pliny's Letter.Opening reading: A.N. Sherwin-White's famous commentary on Pliny's Letter inadvertently reveals that the apologists are afraid: they, too, have doubts about this letter's authenticity.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:47 - Reading: A.N. SHERWIN-WHITE, Commentary on Pliny's Letter.23:31 - OPENING Remarks.33:13 - Close Reading RE-INTRO.36:17 - Close Reading CONTINUATION.38:48 - REDCARD: Twelve Groups of Three.43:33 - REDCARD: Persecution Trope: Confessors, Deniers, Apostates.45:23 - REDCARD: Pliny Investigates Further.48:02 - REDCARD: Christians Did Nothing Wrong.51:39 - REDCARD: No Heretics?54:13 - REDCARD: Lack of Incidence of Christianity.1:13:43 - REDCARD: On Ceremony.1:21:28 - REDCARD: Christ as to a God.1:27:00 - REDCARD: The Oath.1:32:01 - REDCARD: Ordinary and Harmless Food.1:36:39 - REDCARD: On a Fixed Day.1:41:47 - REDCARD: The Ban on Clubs.1:50:53 - REDCARD: Pliny Learns More After Torture.1:52:31 - REDCARD: Deaconesses.1:58:57 - REDCARD: "Superstitio."2:03:06 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

The siege of Pliny's Letter continues as host Chris Palmero proceeds further in the close reading of this Christian forgery of the late second century. Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about other contemporary Christian forgeries written over the name of an emperor, about the poetic structure and literary devices used by the forger of Pliny's Letter, about how the treatment of persecution in Pliny's Letter would only make sense to a Christian of that time, about strange anachronisms and use of terms by Pliny that would only ever have been used by Christians, and about the numerous and flagrant parallels between this document and other Christian writings of the time, including the New Testament and the acts of the martyrs. It's part of BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY's multi-part investigation of the key text used by those who argue an early date for Christianity.Opening reading: A fake letter from the emperor Antoninus to the common assembly of Asia sheds further light on Christian forgeries of imperial rescripts during this period.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:47 - Reading: ANTONINUS, Letter to the Common Assembly of Asia.15:55 - OPENING Remarks.18:28 - Reading: Fake Letter from a CIA STATION CHIEF.21:57 - Close Reading RE-INTRO.23:21 - REDCARD: Pliny's Three Artificial Questions.29:34 - REDCARD: Very Old and Very Young Christians in 112 AD.31:20 - YELLOWCARD: Chiastic Structure.32:51 - REDCARD: Persecution Trope: The Name vs. the Flagitia.42:36 - REDCARD: Anachronism: "The Name."47:38 - Close Reading CONTINUED.49:40 - REDCARD: Persecution Trope: Confessors, Deniers, Apostates.1:01:09 - YELLOWCARD: Amentia (Madness).1:02:03 - REDCARD: Pliny Punishes the Christians Anyway.1:04:59 - Two REDCARDS: Pliny Puts the Question Three Times; The Martyrs are Silent.1:09:12 - REDCARD: Sending Prisoners to Rome.1:15:09 - REDCARD: No True Christian Would Curse Christ.1:17:38 - REDCARD: Use of the Term "Christ."1:22:35 - REDCARD: Persecution Trope: The Sacrifice Test.1:29:43 - REDCARD: Christians Compelled to Curse Christ.1:33:24 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

Part four of the grand exposé of Pliny's fake letter about the Christians. Host Chris Palmero continues the close reading and exposes strange elements of this text that are rarely discussed. Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about the late origin of the term "Christian," about the baffling lack of any geographical references in Pliny's letter, about how Pliny somehow seems to be the first person in history to successfully distinguish Christians from Jews, about Pliny's very uncharacteristic way of dealing with the problem he's facing, and about how Pliny's Letter borrows copiously from the New Testament and the ancient Christian martyria. It's all part of BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY's forced march to capture the unassailable fortress of Epistulae 10.96 and 10.97.Opening reading: A fake letter from the emperor Hadrian to a Roman governor sheds light on how the early Christians forged imperial documents about persecution.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:47 - Reading: HADRIAN, Rescript to Fundanus.29:37 - OPENING Remarks.42:56 - Close Reading RE-INTRO.45:27 - REDCARD: Excessive Length.50:50 - REDCARD: Lack of Geographical Reference.56:36 - REDCARD: Persecution Trope.58:21 - REDCARD: On Precedents.1:06:43 - REDCARD: No Knowledge of Christians.1:12:36 - REDCARD: Use of the Term "Christian."1:31:36 - REDCARD: Christians Fully Distinguished from Jews.1:39:32 - REDCARD: Intertextuality with Acts and the Gospels.1:48:34 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

The third part of the investigation into Pliny's letter as BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY continues the march through Roman history to find some precedent for the persecution of Christians, a persecution that is somehow accepted by Pliny and Trajan before they even put pen to paper. Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about a major argument against the authenticity of Pliny's letter: it lacks any basis in contemporary Roman law and custom. Host Chris Palmero reveals that the supposed persecution of Christians by the emperor Domitian, who ruled shortly before the time of this letter, is nothing more than an airy fiction.Opening reading: A Talmudic text reveals that Christianity's own obsession with persecution and martyrdom may be a simple borrowing from its mother religion.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:48 - Reading: BERAKHOT, the Martyrdom of Rabbi Akiba.22:41 - OPENING Remarks.32:03 - The Quest of the Historical DOMITIAN.44:11 - Domitian's Persecution: TERTULLIAN, MELITO, EUSEBIUS.48:56 - Domitian's Persecution: BOOK OF REVELATION.1:06:59 - Domitian's Persecution: SUETONIUS.1:13:18 - Domitian's Persecution: PLINY THE YOUNGER.1:16:01 - Domitian's Persecution: CASSIUS DIO.1:24:29 - Domitian's Persecution: HEGESIPPUS.1:27:12 - Domitian's Persecution: FIRST CLEMENT.1:32:43 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

The sinister voice of host Chris Palmero heralds the second part of the renowned effort to make the case that Pliny's letter about the Christians is a forgery. Both Pliny and Trajan seem to accept that Christianity is illegal even before they put pen to paper. For this to make sense, there would have to have been some precedent for the persecution of Christians, such as from the reign of Nero or Domitian.Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about a major argument against the authenticity of Pliny's letter: it lacks any basis in contemporary Roman law and custom. BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY also explores the embellished legend of the early persecution of Christians, and shows that the supposed persecution of Christians by the emperor Nero is nothing more than an airy fiction.Opening reading: A satire of Pliny's letter to Trajan shows us how complicated it actually is to detect the forgery of an ancient writing.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:48 - Reading: PLINY THE YOUNGER to Trajan, On the Christians. (Parody).18:32 - OPENING Remarks.26:26 - A Look at Trajan's RESPONSE.35:44 - BEGINNING of the Close Reading.38:21 - The MYTH of Persecution.56:39 - Nero's Persecution: TERTULLIAN and MELITO.1:07:21 - Nero's Persecution: BOOK OF REVELATION.1:12:08 - Nero's Persecution: FIRST CLEMENT.1:15:51 - Nero's Persecution: TACITUS.1:28:01 - Nero's Persecution: SUETONIUS.1:31:44 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

The Roman official Pliny the Younger supposedly wrote a letter that mentioned the Christian religion, all the way back in 112 AD. If this letter is genuine, it represents a major threat to BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY. Therefore, host Chris Palmero launches a new multi-part series: the most comprehensive effort of the past three hundred years to prove that this letter of Pliny was in fact a forgery; a Christian forgery of the late second century in the spirit of Hadrian’s fake rescript to Fundanus. Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about the background of Pliny the Younger and his famous letter; about the many arguments against its authenticity that will be presented in this series; about how Tertullian's apparent early use of the letter doesn't prove its authenticity, about whether Pliny himself was a historical figure, about whether Pliny's writings as a whole are genuine, and about the strange history of Book Ten of Pliny's Epistulae, in which this troublesome text occurs.Opening reading: Pliny writes to Tacitus, expressing pride in the genius of both men, and hopes that they'll be remembered by posterity. Nineteen centuries later they still stand, thrusting out forbidding hands like the Pillars of the Argonath guarding the secrets of the true origins of Christianity. But I've seen much more formidable objectives. And I propose to move immediately upon their works.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:00 - Reading: PLINY THE YOUNGER to Tacitus, Epistulae 9.14.12:04 - OPENING Remarks.15:09 - INTRODUCTION to the Pliny Letter Series.24:50 - On TERTULLIAN'S Supposed Use of the Pliny Letter.39:37 - The Quest of the Historical PLINY.52:08 - Whether Pliny's Epistulae are GENUINE.1:03:52 - The ARGUMENTS against the Pliny Letter (the Red Cards).1:19:38 - The Strange History of Book Ten of Pliny's Epistulae.1:32:46 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

A new regular feature in which host Chris Palmero examines and compares two passages from ancient books: one that suggests an early origin for Christianity, and one that suggests that Christianity was indeed BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY. In our first vision in this Temple of Time, we listen as Justin Martyr tells us about geriatric volcel Christians in 156 AD. In our second vision, from the gospel of Matthew, we listen to Jesus' infamous statement about John the Baptist that seems to suggest that John was really a figure from the distant, murky past - and not a contemporary of Jesus at all.Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about the host's Catholic background, about why this is not an anti-Christian show, about the lack of evidence for an early origin of Christianity, about Mark changing the day of Jesus' death, about Justin Martyr and his time and place, and about the temporal paradox created when the gospels merged the timelines of Jesus and John the Baptist.Opening reading: The fake travel diary of Thessalos of Tralles shows us how common forgery was in the Hellenistic world, and what implications that may have for Pliny's famous letter to Trajan concerning Christians.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:47 - Reading: THESSALOS OF TRALLES, On the Virtues of Herbs.14:34 - Intro and General REMARKS. Background of the Host.22:26 - No Evidence for a First Century ORIGIN.28:20 - Excursus: MARK Changed the Day of Jesus' Death.36:18 - Our Opponents Generally Motivated by a FAITH Motive.39:07 - Intro to the TEMPLE OF TIME.42:38 - First Vision: JUSTIN MARTYR, First Apology 15.1:02:01 - Second Vision: MATTHEW on John the Baptist (Matt 11:12).1:28:08 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show

The radioactively controversial Letter to the Galatians makes no sense if we read it the "official" way.  But its many notorious problems are no match for the wave of mutilation that is BORN IN THE SECOND CENTURY, which crashes here over the first two chapters of this baffling book.Anyone who listens to this episode can learn about chapters 1 and 2 of Galatians in their proper second century setting. Host Chris Palmero explains how and why the forger wrote what he did, explores the truth about “James the Lord’s brother” and the rest of Jesus' family, Paul's mysterious travels in Arabia, eye-popping anachronisms in the text, and what really happened at the infamous secret meeting between Paul and the alleged disciples of the supposed historical Jesus.Opening reading: J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Return of the King" helps us understand why the minimal historical Jesus is actually a modern myth.Patreon: www.patreon.com/borninthesecondcenturyWebsite: facebook.com/BornInTheSecondCenturyE-mail: secondcenturypodcast@gmail.comMusic: Pompeii Gray on Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud00:47 - Reading: J.R.R. TOLKIEN, The Return of the King.09:01 - OPENING Remarks. How a Mythical Jesus Can Make Sense.16:30 - Even More DIFFERENCES between Paul's Religion and the Christian Religion.19:44 - RE-ENTRY to Galatians.27:14 - Intro to Galatians Chapter ONE.34:19 - Galatians Chapter ONE. A Strange Greeting. Who Paul's Rivals Really Are. Whether Peter was Historical.49:57 - Paul's Baffling TRAVELS.56:20 - Why Paul Says He's Not LYING.1:00:00 - James the Lord's Brother EXPLAINED.1:13:06 - Paul's First Trip to Jerusalem ADDED by a Later Author.1:25:38 - Galatians Chapter TWO. The Jerusalem Meeting.1:36:22 - What the FORGER Was Thinking.1:46:26 - A CONVENTIONAL Reading is Attempted.1:50:01 - CLOSING Remarks.Support the show