Romans + Christianity

[Restitvtvs]

Taking Yet Another Road in Life (Updated)

The following websites & webpages cover the origin & evolution of Christianity, during the Roman period; with Jewish, Roman, Greek, and other influences; emphasizing growing Christian-Jewish divergence (Christianity started as a diverse Jewish "cult" or "sect" [aka "The Way"....], became the dominant, official state religion of the Roman Empire). The websites and webpages are posted here for critical analysis. Their contents are written from various perspectives. Their detail, accuracy, and neutrality differ.

http://vlib.iue.it/carrie/texts/carrie_books/seaver/

[Work in Progress]

Looks like it may be at least a few weeks before I update this previous post. My Early Christianity studies during the past few months, with much primary literature, has unavoidably extended well beyond the study of people & their places, things, times, religions, etc. Ultimately, worldwide, we all are brothers & sisters. What a mixed bunch we are, individually & collectively. It goes well beyond the physical. What's real. What's imagined? What's misunderstood? Is anything fully understood? It's like I'm still in grad school (applied & theoretical). That's good.

I have a general idea where this all may lead. There's so much fog & we have so many limitations. It seems so complex, and it is, and yet it is also so simple. "It" has been said & written many times before. Understanding "it" is another matter. Living "it" fully is yet another matter. One size does not fit all. Yet, there are at least a few universal absolutes. It's tough & it's easy. Among various things, I pray most for wisdom. So, when the time comes, I will finish updating my previous post with more links for Roman period voices about "it".

Pax vobiscvm, +r

I have reached another fork in life's myriad of intertwining roads & paths. The more I study about the Late Roman period & early Christianity, the more I understand myself & others today & tomorrow. It started with the "big picture", famous people, Constantinian & later Roman basilicas, etc. It progressed to Jewish, Greek, Roman & many other influences & variations of Christianity within & between provinces, towns, and people over centuries. It continued further back into time, with smaller churches, then to apostolic period church houses. It continued even further, to Jesus & his apostles, and then far beyond to their many ancestors & their more distant lives & times...

My studies have gone far beyond historic facts & figures. From many perspectives, ultimately we are all brothers & sisters. It hurts to see so much avoidable waste & suffering everywhere, throughout history. We're the victims of our own & each other's free will. I'm certainly very flawed. Everything we think, say & do echoes through eternity. Rather than lament, I try to redirect to more positive & constructive actions.

This has been like peeling off so many layers of heavy varnish; removing many trivial tangents & trappings (some well intended, some not; some honestly believe, some dishonestly proclaim; etc.); to better see & understand (as humanly possible) the Source, the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Light, the One.

My studies have gone well beyond what we can discuss in RAT fora, so my RAT posts will probably be fewer.

It's so complex & yet so simple.

Wherever you store your treasures, there shall your heart be... I'm giving up more things, for more of others. I recently finished Roman "downloading" & "uploading". Time for me to move on. Whatever you choose to do at any time in your life, there is so much fog, we can only see so much, and there are so many intertwining roads & paths. I hope & pray the best for you & for all of us. Pax vobiscvm, +r