[extropy-chat] Religion: Three Wise ...Maji?

natashavita at earthlink.net natashavita at earthlink.net
Tue Feb 10 14:49:17 UTC 2004


I just read a report from Reuters about The Christian Church rethinking the
age-old reference to "Three Wise Men," in deference to gender neutrality.

Apparently there is a bit of discrepancy and the 17th Century King James
Bible (70 million readers) made a boo-boo.  "Three Wise Men" is now "Three
Wise Maji" just in case one was a woman.

"The revision committee said: 'While it seems very unlikely that these
Persian court officials were female, the possibility that one or more of
the Magi were female cannot be excluded completely.'

"There is no theological dispute about the gifts they brought -- gold,
frankincense and myrrh -- but the prayer has been changed to use the word
Magi on the grounds that "the visitors were not necessarily wise and not
necessarily men." 

"The decision was greeted by mocking newspaper headlines like 'The Three
Fairly Sagacious Persons' and "Is it unwise to call the Magi men?" 

"Anglicans are debating whether words like 'Chairman' can be replaced at
committee meetings by more neutral words like 'Chair.' (Synod)
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/02/10/uk.magi.reut/index.html

Natasha

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