Posts Tagged ‘goats’


Mark Lawson-Jones on Christmas Carols

Why was the partridge in the pear tree? This is all the more mysterious given that these birds can’t fly well. We answer this and several other questions related to the history of Christmas carols with special guest Rev. Mark Lawson-Jones, a chaplain for Mission to the Seafarers and author of the delightful book “Why Was the Partridge in the Pear Tree? The History of Christmas Carols.” We cover a broad swathe of history dating back to the medieval period when carols were used in various pageants, discuss the fun of wassailing, note that the Puritans almost killed Christmas fun, and then discuss the history and meaning of a few well-known songs.

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Colleen Haight on the Oracle of Delphi

What was the function and rationale of the Oracle of Delphi? And how does its operation help us understand the Temple of Shiloh, the role of the Vatican in the Middle Ages, and the physical location of Washington, DC and Sacramento, CA? Prof. Colleen Haight applies some basic economic principles to understand why the Delphic Oracle was so important to ancient Greek civilization and how it relates to so many other historical and contemporary phenomenon. Being both fun and informative, this is an instant Research on Religion classic!

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