In our Adult Forum look at heresies of the early Christian era, we have come across a reference to James, the brother of Jesus, as well as a mention that Thomas was Jesus (identical) twin brother. I mentioned that when I was growing up Catholic, the notion that Jesus had any blood brothers was simply incomprehensible, and thus, never mentioned. And even today, the Catholic Encyclopedia, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02767a.htm, while recognizing that some ancient heretics maintained that the "brethern" of Jesus were his uterine brothers (and that most modern Protestant exegetes have adopted the same beliefs), but then goes on to "prove" they were Jesus' cousins.
So is this issue just another case of "I am indubitably Orthodox, while you are a Heretic if you do not agree with me 100%" Is there a Lutheran orthodoxy on this subject, and if so, what is it? And while we are at it. just how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
Comments?
2 comments:
My remembrance from confirmation class was that the RC church insisted on Jesus being an only child, as this would preserve Mary's virginity. Oh dear!
It's interesting because the prophetic word in Isaiah was that a "alma" (Hebrew - can be translated as "virgin"... but more accurately as "young woman/maiden". One could assume a "virgin" but there is no inherent connection between a "young woman" and her sexual experiences.
Unless it's very important that she be a virgin!
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