CelticBear’s Musings

An interesting post over on Debunking Christianity today, about why there was no veneration of Jesus’ tomb, empty or not, until the 4th century: Why Wasn’t There any Veneration of Jesus’ Empty Tomb?

“The fact that there was no tomb veneration indicates that the early Christians did not know the location of the tomb of Jesus, neither of an empty tomb nor of an occupied tomb. The best way to avoid this conclusion is, I think, to assert that there was tomb veneration despite the silence of any first-, second-, or third-century writers on such an interest.” And how likely is that? Even James D.G. Dunn admits “that it was quite customary at the time of Jesus for devotees to meet at the tomb of the dead prophet for worship (Matt. 23:29).

Article’s author John W. Loftus discusses issues of shameful burial, utter belief in the immediate coming of the apocalypse, and the like.