The U.F.O. of Bethlehem

Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, 2019

As we move forward into new discoveries in the heavens, it is also important for Christians involved in science to seek clarity about our ancient scripture texts. Matthew's account of the Magi and the star has been misinterpreted for generations. The star resists attempts to be discovered. One can find dozens of interpretations and speculations. Have we understood Matthew's account in its proper context? Recent archeological discoveries concerning Babylonian astronomy may help us to reimagine the Magi and their famous star.

This paper identifies the key chronological events in the conception and birth of Jesus of Nazareth derived from holy scripture, and the celestial sequence of events, or “celestial chronology” associated with the Star of Bethlehem. The celestial chronology was developed using standard planetarium software. The historical accounts of the early church historians and chronologists related to the birth of Christ are then discussed, allowing us to determine the degree of correlation between the celestial chronology and the historical records. Our findings show an incredible correlation: the historical accounts place the birth in the year 3/2 BC, leading to the conclusion that the Star of Bethlehem was a real, celestial occurrence and that the Bible, when coupled with the scientific astronomical records, provides an accurate, historical account of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth on 17 June 2 BC.

The general apologetic theme of this study was to highlight the actions that had been taken to assure, protect and guide the birth of Jesus Christ. Bible study practices of scrutinizing New Testament scriptures carrying the words “behold,” “lo” or “see” was introduced. A percentage of those three English words had been translated from the Greek words ίδε (IDE) and ίδου (IDOU). Since they had served as Active and Middle Voices, respectively, for the two Imperative Mood verbs, they were used as study markers. Summaries of various contextual analyses and the results of epifluorescent confocal laser scanning microscopy of papyrus fragments served as indicators of the historical reliability of the Gospels by Matthews and Luke. Justifications for expecting the relatively warm winter background of the Nativity was based on the effects of the Roman Solar Maximum. The shortcomings of astronomical and astrological hypotheses were compared with the strengths of the Shekinah Glory and growing legitimacy of UFOs as explanations for the Star of Bethlehem for the Star of Bethlehem.

2013

The gospel in the stars is a popular topic with many recent creationists. In an earlier paper, I examined some problems with this thesis. Since that earlier publication, the primary source on the subject has become available, allowing this much more detailed examination. In this current study, I identify many problems with the assumptions, methodologies, and conclusions made with the gospel in the stars thesis. The etymologies of terms and names are questionable at best and most likely are simply wrong. The biblical arguments are poor, and some conclusions are contrary to biblical principles. While well intended, the gospel in the stars is fraught with problems, and Christians are discouraged from using it.

The Sacred and the Sinister, 2019

The thirteenth-century Schoolman Albert the Great had much to say about the wise men who appear in the second chapter of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. His commentary runs about thirty-five times the length of the evan-gelist's own report. His enthusiasm is not unique. The story of wise men journeying from the East to Bethlehem and their adoration of the Christ Child has fascinated Christian believers from its first-century origins to the present day. The narrative has enticed readers not only by what it tells-of learned men from far away following a moving star that they knew to signal the birth of a great Jewish king-but also by what it does not. Details that Matthew did not clarify-such as what a magus was, how many they were, and where exactly in "the East" they hailed from-quickly piqued the curiosity of readers. The readers are further left on their own to conclude how the magi had become so learned, how they knew what the star meant, why they decided to follow it, and why this inspiration-this capacity to anticipate the birth of a new Judean king and the desire to give him homage-had been offered to them, and why indeed in such odd conjunction with a very different sort of person, the shepherds, as reported in another gospel. And yet another problem-one more vexing to a curious reader in eras earlier than our own, a reader whose familiarity with night skies, out of necessity and opportunity, made the usual movements of celestial bodies common knowledge-was the question of what kind of star could possibly move so unnaturally from south to north and then to south again, eventually to "stand over where the boy was" in Bethlehem. 1

2025

The Star that Revealed the King: Astronomical, Prophetic and Historical Synchrony of Christ's Birth (August 20-21, 1 BC). This study proposes a new astronomical and historical reconstruction of the Star of Bethlehem, centred on the hypothesis that a sequence of planetary conjunctions (Jupiter and Venus from 3 BC to 1 BC)—and particularly the exceptionally close conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in the constellation Virgo on 20–21 August 1 BC—marks the exact date of Christ’s birth. The analysis integrates astronomical simulations, biblical texts, data from the Second Temple priestly calendar, and historical records from Flavius Josephus. It argues that the celestial events would have been interpreted by Chaldean astronomers as progressive signs of a royal birth, culminating in the reappearance of the "star" as the Magi approached Bethlehem. This timeline aligns precisely with the biblical account of John the Baptist’s birth, the prophetic symbolism of Genesis 49:10, Isaiah 7:14, and Revelation 12:1–2, and a re-evaluated date for the death of Herod the Great following the lunar eclipse of 29 December 1 BC. The research presents a coherent chronology that challenges conventional datings and highlights the interdisciplinary convergence of astronomy, ancient prophecy, and Roman political context.

2018

There have been many attempts down through the ages to identify the star that led the magi to the Christ child. In this article, we examine Colin R. Nicholl's recent book "The Great Christ Comet: Identifying the True Star of Bethlehem." Critical examination of Nicholl's hypothesis reveals that the book's basic assumptions are academically unsound.

Every year at the spring equinox the nation of Iran celebrates Nowruz (Nōrūz, Nō Rūz, or Nō-Rūz). Nowruz is not only the first day of the new year on the Iranian calendar, but also marks the first day of spring-a time in both ancient and modern Iran that represents the rebirth of nature, and the victory of light over darkness, or good over evil. This paper focuses on the importance of the spring equinox in the Zoroastrian religion and its relationship to the Nativity. This is an area that is greatly underrepresented by modern Star of Bethlehem theologians. Johannes Kepler was among the first to suggest that the Star was related to a planetary conjunction. However, several readings from Zoroastrian and Judeo-Christian texts indicate that the Star was an unknown and unpredicted celestial object-signifying that the Magi did not know exactly what to search for, or that it was a predictable event. This rules out planetary conjunctions that are predictable and considered malevolent in Zoroastrian texts. Despite the overwhelming evidence from primary sources, modern theologians continue to neglect ancient texts to produce their own biblical interpretations of scripture. It is not just science that is often overlooked by theologians, but quite often important religious scriptures. This is a study of what is wrong, and how to find better ways to conduct research in the future that brings science and religion together to provide answers to the Nativity. I. Recent Star of Bethlehem Trends In 1604, Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) witnessed a supernova-an extremely bright, new star that appears suddenly and without warning in the sky, only to fade away after a few months. A year later, a thesis by Laurentius Suslyga, a Polish Jesuit and academic, demonstrated that scholars

The True Star Of Bethlehem , 2024

This essay explores the intriguing possibility that the Star of Bethlehem, the celestial phenomenon that guided the Magi to the birthplace of Jesus, was not a singular star, comet, or planetary conjunction, but rather the Eta Aquarids meteor shower viewed from a unique perspective. This hypothesis draws upon astronomical data, historical context, and theological interpretations to offer a fresh perspective on this enduring mystery.

Primeval Astronomy, 1882

The meaning of the constellations from a biblical perspective.