So I thought that these two chapters were great at some points and boring at other points.  Sometimes I was at the edge of my seat and at points I was near to falling asleep.  Chapters 8 & 9 could definitely be seen as a major turning point in the history of Jerusalem.  If I am not mistaken Chapter 7 gave us a state where the Greeks ruled but Judaism was prevalent.  We are now going into Chapter 10 with a land that is a “Christian Holy City”, where Judaism is frowned upon, and the name Jerusalem is a thing of the past.  The center of this new kingdom if I may call it is Aelia.

Next, I’d like to move onto to some needed clarification that you all may be able to help me out with:

1) What is view of the Pagans as opposed to Christians? (Page 193)

2) Armstrong repeatedly mentions Jewish Christians.  How is this possible?  Was it at such an early time period that the monotheistic religions were not distinctly separated? (Page 155)

3) Is Golgotha extremely significant in other religions besides Christianity? Can someone fill me in on it?

4)  Is the Aramaic language a living language today? (Page 162)

5) What are everyone’s thoughts on the the ten degrees of holiness? How important is this? (Page 168)

Lastly, I liked to give a critique of the two chapters that we read for Wednesday’s class.  I definitely enjoyed Chapter 8 much more than Chapter 9.  We have read some 190 pages, and we are still some 1800 years in the past.  I’m ready to speed up in time Ms. Armstrong!  Armstrong’s style of writing reminds me of a history book.  Does anyone feel like this book is just a timeline of history with footnotes at certain dates?  All of sudden Armstrong is very pro-Christian in my opinion.  I don’t think she thoroughly covered enough of the Jewish reaction to this new change.  They were now in the minority, what was their reaction?