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In podcast episode 519, I’m joined by astrologer Lindsay Turner to discuss the Magi, the birth of Jesus, and the Nativity story.
We will study the Feast of the Epiphany, also known as Epiphany, and analyze the Gospel of Matthew about the astrologers from the East who followed the star to Bethlehem.
We discuss the difference between approaching the birth as a historical event and a literary narrative, and how the author of Matthew used the story of the Magi in part to legitimize Jesus as king in the 1st century. We also look at technical astrological terms found in the Greek text, e.g anatol or “ascending” and how it relates to Hellenistic astrology.
We also discuss the relationship between early Christianity and astrology, including the non-canonical works of Paul and Thecla, the liturgical seasons corresponding to the Zodiac, and how modern Christians reconcile their faith with astrological practice.
Lindsay’s website
Time signs
00:00:00 Login
00:00:34 Epiphany and Three Kings Day traditions
00:01:45 Nativity story and the star of Bethlehem
00:03:50 Historical and Literary Approaches to the Bibles
00:05:41 Matthew’s Gospel and Hebrew Prophecy
00:08:05 Reading the passage of the Magi (Matthew 2:1-12)
00:10:52 Who was Magi? Astrologers against Persian priests
00:12:00 The context of birth astrology in the 1st century
00:13:30 Political subversion of the Nativity story
00:16:27 “Ascending” (Anatol) as a technical astrological term
00:18:23 Crossroads between New Testament Greek and astrological texts
00:20:14 Theories in the stars: comets, mergers and novae
00:26:27 Solar eclipse at the crucifixion
00:31:00 Astrology is used to legitimize Jesus in Matthew
00:33:30 Has the magician given up astrology?
00:36:51 Manger Nebula in Cancer constellation
00:39:19 Birth Chart of Thema Mundi and Cosmos
00:41:05 The controversy over the date of Jesus’ birth
00:48:25 Acts of Paul and Thecla and lost Christian texts
00:54:38 Mary Magdalene and seven demons
01:02:15 Fate, free will and stoicism in the ancient world
01:05:45 Early Christianity as social rebellion
01:09:30 Identity in Christ and astrological identity
01:15:33 Liturgical seasons and Zodiac
01:17:28 Saturnalia, Sol Invictus and the origin of Christmas
01:21:50 The stigma against astrology in the modern church
01:29:50 Common origins of Christianity and Hellenistic astrology
01:32:00 Astrology as a bridge between science and religion
01:35:10 Lindsay’s upcoming book and contact info
01:36:35 Sponsors and credits
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