Theology for beginners

[Dr Denis O'Callaghan]

A little exercise for young theologians

Is the title of a short classic by Helmut Thielicke.

If you haven't read it, don't despair. Here's another little exercise for you budding theologians - and historians - instead:

A mosaic and the remains of a building uncovered recently in excavations on the Megiddo prison grounds may belong to the earliest church in the world, according to a preliminary examination by the Israel Antiquities Authority.

One of the most dramatic finds suggests that, instead of an altar, a simple table stood in the center of the church, at which a sacred meal was held to commemorate the Last Supper.

Photographs of three Greek inscriptions in the mosaic were sent to Hebrew University expert Professor Leah Di Segni, who told Haaretz on Sunday that the use of the term "table" in one of them instead of the word "altar" might lead to a breakthrough in the study of ancient Christianity. It is commonly believed that church rituals based on the Last Supper took place around an altar.

Who are those who commonly believed it took place around an altar instead of a table? Weren't Christians enjoined to present themselves as living sacrifices to their Lord? Do living sacrifices require an altar? Not got anything to do with Christ's resurrection by any chance?

Christian rituals were prohibited in the Roman Empire prior to the year 313 CE, and Christians had to pray in secret in catacombs or private homes. The earliest churches, dating from around 330 CE, are the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, the Nativity in Bethlehem, and Alonei Mamre near Hebron. However, they contain only scant remains of the original structures, which were built by Emperor Constantine I.

The structure discovered at the Megiddo prison is a simple rectangular one lacking the later characteristics of churches, such as an apse facing east. "I don't know if this structure can even be called a church," Di Sengi said.

Perhaps because Christians originally continued to meet at the local synagogues? And when they were ousted, they met in homes? And symbolic meanings to different parts of churches (like apses facing east, the direction from where Jesus, as symbolized by the rising Sun, will come again) were not attached until, well people started building structures called churches? And began attaching meaning to bits of them?

But forgot to listen?

Maybe the church is not a building made of stones, but of ”Living Stones”? The people of God?

Other discoveries at the prison include dwellings from the Roman times and a ritual bath, which was sealed and built on top of during the Byzantine period, bearing out historical information about a Jewish site in this area, Kfar Othnai, which became a Christian site in the Byzantine period.

Or maybe there's something symbolic in the 'earliest church' being found inside a prison?

Tourism Minister Avraham Hirchson said the discovery could greatly increase tourism to Israel.

"If we nurture this properly, then certainly there will be a large stream of tourists who could come to Israel. There is great potential and together with the evangelical center in the north could bring great strides in tourism," he told Channel Two.

Yes, heard tht before. It's called Holy War. After all, scholars believe Megiddo to be the New Testament's Armageddon. So how come those Christians weren't worried about building their church on that?