Overview

Directly relating to our understanding of the biblical and early Christian stories of Jesus' burial, this text includes a provocative interpretation of burial practices of the period 63 BCE to 135 CE, with particular emphasis on the time of Jesus. A strong connection to the recent discovery of the ossuary (bone box) purported to be that of James, brother of Jesus features. The book reveals what took place when the early Jews and Christians in Palestine gathered to bury their dead. It addresses questions such as whether Jesus' burial was a shameful event, and how different the death rituals of the Jews were from the earliest Christian communities.

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9781563384028

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Reviews

In Roll Back the Stone, Byron R. McCane has made a significant contribution to our understanding of the place of death rituals in the lives of Jews and Christians in early Roman Palestine. Judiciously combining both textual and archaeological data, McCane has provided a highly nuanced and informative window through which a reader can see many clear images of the funeral practices of these ancient folks. Along the way, he has contributed to our understanding of the burial traditions about Jesus contained in the Gospels and, as a bonus, has made some sane suggestions for understanding the recent (sometimes sensational) discussions concerning the so-called James Ossuary. A good subtitle for this volume could well be: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Death Rituals of Jews and Christians During the Early Roman Period in Palestine but Didn't Know Who to Ask. Now you Know! ----John Laughlin Blurb from reviewer

McCane's analysis, rooted in sociological and anthropological theory, is informed and judicious. H.O. Forshey, Miami University, for CHOICE--Sanford Lakoff

Author Information

Byron R. McCane is Professor of Religion and department chair at Wofford College, Spartanburg, South Carolina. He is Academic Director of the Sepphoris Excavations in Northern Israel.

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