This is a reprise of my Christmas 2018 show, just in time for Christmas 2025. It relates the story of Christmas as told by the gospel of Luke. With lots of canticles: the Magnificat, the Benedictus, and the Nunc Dimmitis. Luke has many unique stories. He concentrates on Jesus' mother Mary and her relative Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist. The angel Gabriel makes two cameo appearances.

In this detour episode we go way, way back. Six thousand years ago, a language was forming that would spawn dozens of descendants, who came to occupy most of Europe and much of Anatolia, India and Iran. This ancient tongue is Proto-Indo-European. Join Bernie Maoplski of the Fan of History podcast and I, as we chase down the latest theories on the origins of this ancestral language. You can find Bernie's show at https://shows.acast.com/history.

A little while back, Bernie Maopolski of the Fan of History podcast and I discussed some recent research into the use of hydraulics at the step pyramid of Pharoah Djoser. Well, lordy lordy, we received an email from a hydraulic engineer who said that the original researchers were barking up the wrong tree. Let's see what he had to say. You can find Bernie's show at https://shows.acast.com/history.

I'm back with Gil Kidron of A Podcast of Biblical Proportions. In its 29th chapter, the book of Jeremiah contains a letter that the prophet wrote to the exiles in Babylonia. There is another letter of Jeremiah to the exiles, a very short work. In the Orthodox tradition, this is a separate book all to itself. In the Catholic canon, it is a chapter in the book of Baruch. Thanks to Martin Luther, the Protestants don't have it in any form. In this episode, Gil and I investigate the letter. Who wrote it, when, and why.

There are two distinct literary traditions behind the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh). Most important is the Masoretic Hebrew tradition. The other tradition is the Greek bible, known as the Septuagint. While the two traditions are in broad agreement, sometimes they diverge quite significantly. One of those places is in the book of Jeremiah. In this episode, Gil and I explore these differences.

Another detour episode. In this episode, Bernie Maopolski of the Fan of History podcast invited me onto his show to discuss new research into the step pyramid of Pharoah Djoser.

Another detour episode. This time I am with Gregg Gassmann of many podcasts: Popeular History (that's Popular with an "e"), Pontifacts, and Cardinal Numbers. You won't find a bigger Pope aficionado than Gregg. Gregg and I discuss the papal conclave of May 2025.

You can find Gregg's podcasts at https://www.popeularhistory.com/ and https://pontifacts.podbean.com/.

Yes, we are rather late in getting this show out, but sometimes life gets in the way.

The year 2025 marks fifty years of publication by Biblical Archaeology Review, often known as BAR. This is halfway between a journal and a magazine, rather like National Geographic. It has worked as a bridge between professional archaeologists and historians, and the general public.

In this show I am joined by my old mate Steve Guerra of the History of the Papacy podcast. We discuss BAR's history, and present some of its articles.

On this first detour show, I am joined by Bernie Maopolski of the Fan of History podcast. We investigate the most mysterious objects ever produced in the Roman empire.

In the last Afterlife episode, Gil Kidron of A Podcast of Biblical Proportions and I explored the relationship between the Jewish festival of Passover, and Christian Easter. This time, we explore two more parallels. This time, we explore the Jewish festival of Shavuot or Weeks, and its significance to the Christian celebration of Pentecost.