DECEMBER 7

43 BCE: The famous orator Marcus Tullius Cicero
died.  Cicero was a Patrician, member of
the Senate and opponent of Julius Caesar. 
Following Caesar’s assassination, Mark Anthony and Octavian executed
those whom they viewed as ene…

November
22

1220: Frederick II, who would become the
protector of the Jews in Frankfurt in 1236, was crowned Holy Roman Emperor
today by Honorius III.

1280: The 3 year reign of Pope Nicholas III
whose bull Vineam sorce encouraged conversion through
“…

 November 18

1095: Pope Urban II opened the Council of
Clermont. Summoned to plan the First Crusade, it was attended by over 200
bishops. Among its official policies, the Council decreed that a pilgrimage to
Jerusalem made every other penance sup…

 November
17

9CE:  Birthdate of Titus Flavius
Vespasianus, better known as Vespasian, who as a Roman General and then Emperor
put down the Judean Revolt which included the destruction of the Second Temple.

284: Diocletian is proclaimed empe…

November
16

42
BCE: Birthdate of Tiberius, 2nd Roman emperor. The stepson of Augustus reigned
from 14 to 37 C.E. A competent general with a sour disposition, Tiberius came
to the thrown through the efforts of his pushy mother. Tiberius treatment of
th…

November 11

603 BCE (7th of Kislev): King
Jehoiakim burned the scroll which had been dictated by the prophet Jeremiah to
Barcuh ben Heriah.

518 BCE: A delegation of Babylonian
Jews arrived in Jerusalem to inquire from the prophet Zechariah whether th…

A Pentecostal reflection on Thomas C. Oden’s claim that the first Pentecost took place in the home of an African Jewish woman.