Today, while watching Shtisel, I learned about the Hebrew calendar. It begins in 3761 BC, a date calculated in the 2nd century CE based on a theological interpretation of the Book of Genesis. Jewish scholars chronologically mapped out key biblical events, such as Adam’s creation, Noah’s Ark, Solomon’s reign, the Exodus, etc. leading to the … Continue reading The Hebrew Calendar
Tag: Islam
Christianity in Europe Today
Over the weekend, I read the French political theorist Olivier Roy’s superb ‘Is Europe Christian?’ and was mighty impressed by his analysis and arguments. The transformations of Christianity since the time of Christ are well documented. Luther’s Protestant Reformation, the Scientific Revolution during the Enlightenment, the separation of Church and State brought about by the … Continue reading Christianity in Europe Today
Lucknow’s Shiite Influence
Last year, I spent a long weekend in Lucknow. While the cuisine was the main draw, the Shiite influence over the city is unmissable. Large and small Imambaras dot the city and remind us of the relatively short-lived dynasty of the Nawabs that ruled Oudh. (Imambaras, unlike mosques, are not merely prayer spaces but structures … Continue reading Lucknow’s Shiite Influence
The Sunni-Shia schism of Islam
In a recent National Interest column, Shekhar Gupta quoted an interesting statistic: “Almost all the million-plus Muslims killed across the Muslim world in the past decade have been killed by fellow Muslims, barring about 5,000 to 7,000 each (if that many) by the Americans and the Russians (acting for the Assad regime in Syria)” Thanks … Continue reading The Sunni-Shia schism of Islam
