Cult of Dead Kin: Honoring the Dead in Ancient Israel

10/21/24 • 62 min

Across the Ancient Near East, it was common to offer food and sacrifices to appease dead ancestors and "hangry" ghosts, but the Hebrew Bible is largely silent on interactions between the living and the dead. Our guest Kerry Sonia pieces together archeological evidence with clues from the Bible to paint a picture of what she calls the "cult of dead kin" in Ancient Israel.
If you like today's episode, check out Kerry's book Caring for the Dead in Ancient Israel.
NEW COLLEGE FESTIVAL
If you're anywhere near Scotland from November 7-9, you're invited to attend the New College Festival "Books and Belief" at the University of Edinburgh. Come say Hi to Helen!
SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE!
If you like the podcast, please consider supporting the show through the Time Travelers Club, our Patreon. We love making the show, but since we don't run ads we rely on listener contributions to cover our costs. Please help us continue to showcase high-quality biblical scholarship with a $5/month subscription.
BTM BOOK CLUB
The second meeting of the Biblical Time Machine Book Club will be held on Saturday, December 14 at 12pm Eastern / 5pm UK! Members of the Time Travelers Club are invited for a live Zoom discussion of James McGrath's book, Christmaker: A Life of John the Baptist. Grab a copy of the book and we'll see you in December!
DOWNLOAD OUR STUDY GUIDE: MARK AS ANCIENT BIOGRAPHY
Check out our 4-part audio study guide called "The Gospel of Mark as an Ancient Biography." While you're there, get yourself a handsome Biblical Time Machine mug or a cool sticker for your water bottle.

Support the show

Theme music written and performed by Dave Roos

Support the show

Theme music written and performed by Dave Roos

Previous Episode

What is "Ancient Media Culture"?

In the 1st century, very few people "read" the Hebrew scriptures. Instead, they were "heard" — read aloud (or performed) in the synagogue and other spaces. In this episode, Catrin Williams joins Helen and Dave to discuss "ancient media culture," the different ways that people consumed biblical texts in the time of Jesus, and how literacy, orality and "aurality" were in constant conversation.
If you're curious, here's the mysterious Greek/Hebrew amulet that was found near Caernarvon fort in Wales. Catrin will get to the bottom of it.
SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE!
If you like the podcast, please consider supporting the show through the Time Travelers Club, our Patreon. We love making the show, but since we don't run ads we rely on listener contributions to cover our costs. Please help us continue to showcase high-quality biblical scholarship with a $5/month subscription.
BTM BOOK CLUB
The next book in the Biblical Time Machine Book Club will be Christmaker: A Life of John the Baptist by James McGrath. James will join the members of the Time Travelers Club for a live Zoom discussion in December. Date TBD!
DOWNLOAD OUR STUDY GUIDE: MARK AS ANCIENT BIOGRAPHY
Check out our 4-part audio study guide called "The Gospel of Mark as an Ancient Biography." While you're there, get yourself a handsome Biblical Time Machine mug or a cool sticker for your water bottle.

Support the show

Theme music written and performed by Dave Roos

Next Episode

Ancient Jewish Magic

Just in time for Halloween, we're talking magic, incantation bowls and a pinch of necromancy with Gideon Bohak, author of Ancient Jewish Magic: A History.
NEW COLLEGE FESTIVAL
If you're anywhere near Scotland from November 7-9, you're invited to attend the New College Festival "Books and Belief" at the University of Edinburgh. Come say Hi to Helen!
SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE!
If you like the podcast, please consider supporting the show through the Time Travelers Club, our Patreon. We love making the show, but since we don't run ads we rely on listener contributions to cover our costs. Please help us continue to showcase high-quality biblical scholarship with a $5/month subscription.
BTM BOOK CLUB
The second meeting of the Biblical Time Machine Book Club will be held on Saturday, December 14 at 12pm Eastern / 5pm UK! Members of the Time Travelers Club are invited for a live Zoom discussion of James McGrath's book, Christmaker: A Life of John the Baptist. Grab a copy of the book and we'll see you in December!
DOWNLOAD OUR STUDY GUIDE: MARK AS ANCIENT BIOGRAPHY
Check out our 4-part audio study guide called "The Gospel of Mark as an Ancient Biography." While you're there, get yourself a handsome Biblical Time Machine mug or a cool sticker for your water bottle.