A critical investigation of archaeological material assigned to Palestinian Jewish-Christians of the Roman and Byzantine periods
The Franciscan Fathers B. Bagatti and E. Testa have developed the hypothesis which holds that Jewish-Christians with a heterodox theology venerated and utilised many important Christian holy sites before they were appropriated by the ~Gentile~ Church in the fourth century. This thesis argues that Jewish-Christians should not be defined in terms of heterodox theology but by their maintenance of Jewish praxis, which may accompany various theological perspectives. A detailed examination of the literary traditions and archaeology of the land in general and important Christian holy sites in particular shows that there is no evidence for Jewish-Christians in the heartland of Palestine, which was in the third century extensively populated by pagans. Moreover, there is no evidence that any Palestinian Christians venerated places they considered sacred prior to the fourth century. If the definition of pilgrimage implies travel to specific holy places in order to pray, then there were no Christian pilgrims prior to Constantine's mother, Helena. It was Constantine who established the first Christian holy sites in Palestine, using the pagan model of the sacred shrine. Before Constantine, Christians had visited Palestine
Taylor, Joan Elizabeth
Archaeology
A critical investigation of archaeological material assigned to Palestinian Jewish-Christians of the Roman and Byzantine periods. The Franciscan Fathers B. Bagatti and E. Testa have developed the hypothesis which holds that Jewish-Christians with a heterodox theology venerated and utilised many important Christian holy sites before they were appropriated by the ~Gentile~ Church in the fourth century. This thesis argues that Jewish-Christians should not be defined in terms of heterodox theology but by their maintenance of Jewish praxis, which may accompany various theological perspectives. A detailed examination of the literary traditions and archaeology of the land in general and important Christian holy sites in particular shows that there is no evidence for Jewish-Christians in the heartland of Palestine, which was in the third century extensively populated by pagans. Moreover, there is no evidence that any Palestinian Christians venerated places they considered sacred prior to the fourth century. If the definition of pilgrimage implies travel to specific holy places in order to pray, then there were no Christian pilgrims prior to Constantine's mother, Helena. It was Constantine who established the first Christian holy sites in Palestine, using the pagan model of the sacred shrine. Before Constantine, Christians had visited Palestine
critical investigation archaeological_material assign palestinian jewish christians roman_byzantine period franciscan fathers develop hypothesis hold jewish christians theology utilised many important christian holy site appropriate gentile church argue jewish christians define_term theology maintenance jewish praxis may accompany various_theological perspective detailed_examination literary_tradition archaeology land general important christian holy sit particular show evidence jewish christians heartland palestine extensively populated pagan moreover evidence palestinian christians place consider sacred prior definition pilgrimage implies travel specific holy place order pray christian pilgrims prior constantine mother constantine establish first christian holy site palestine use pagan model sacred shrine constantine christians visit palestine