Historical/Archaeological evidence for the death of the Apostles.

[Jillyn'Toast]

I've never started a post here before, but I thought this looked like a good place for my question. Anyway...

I was watching a documentary on the History channel about the Twelve Apostles. They mixed so much fiction in with the fact that I really couldn't pick out the fact from the fiction. So I thought that I would come here and ask you all... What historical or archaeological evidence do we have about how or where these apostles actually died? It's pretty common to believe that Thomas died in India and Peter was crucified upside down, but is this all fact? It's just a question I was curious about. I'll do some of my own study later, just wanted to see what you all had to say :)
I also thought it was kind of funny that this documentary found it odd that the Bible didn't mention how any of the writers died... hehe, if they're dead they can't really write about how they died, now can they? Anyway... that was off subject.

[fundieRfunny]

You are aware that the books writers are and were anonymous are you not?

[Jillyn'Toast]

I know a few books in the NT don't give the authors name; such as John. But books like James, Chorinthians and others do name the author. That's all beside the point, my question was if there is any historical evidence for where the apostles died.

[fundieRfunny]

Today @ 01:38 AM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=193336#post193336)
Jill Pole:

I know a few books in the NT don't give the authors name; such as John. But books like James, Chorinthians and others do name the author. That's all beside the point, my question was if there is any historical evidence for where the apostles died.


There's not even evidence that they existed. But for debate's purposes, you might want to investigate the history of the gospels, most all of which date from a time when the gospels(yes, no proof, but in all likelihood they did exist) would be long dead. You can read more at http://www.earlychristianwritings.com by one of our very own illustrious posters, Peter Kirby.

[Wildcat]

Jill, the martyrdoms of the apostles are recorded in church traditions. "Foxe's Book of Martyrs" record the details. As for historicity, I can't help much on that, although J.P. Moreland claims that the historicity of the martyrdoms is generally not in dispute.

As for Gospel authorship and dating, consider this piece: http://www.tektonics.org/tekton_02_02_02.html

[fundieRfunny]

Yesterday @ 10:12 PM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=195988#post195988)
Wildcat:

Jill, the martyrdoms of the apostles are recorded in church traditions. "Foxe's Book of Martyrs" record the details. As for historicity, I can't help much on that, although J.P. Moreland claims that the historicity of the martyrdoms is generally not in dispute.

As for Gospel authorship and dating, consider this piece: http://www.tektonics.org/tekton_02_02_02.html


Nice argument from authority there....Unfortunately, there is MUCH dispute re: the martyrdoms, and successive persecution too for that matter. Study on your own, don't take anything less.

[Wildcat]

FrF: Nice argument from authority there....

Wildcat: It was merely a reference to someone who should be well-informed on the issue, similar in nature to your link to Kirby's article on Gospel authorship.

FrF: Unfortunately, there is MUCH dispute re: the martyrdoms, and successive persecution too for that matter. Study on your own, don't take anything less.

Wildcat: I wouldn't. As a matter of fact, this is an area of interest for me as I'd like to investigate it further. That is what drew me to this thread. Thanks for your input.

Wildcat.

[Someone7]

http://www.bowness.demon.co.uk/martyrs.htm

[salvationfound]

I wouldn't knock church tradition as much as people would like. I mean after all unlike Bible miracles this isn't an extraordinary event that requires extraordinary evidence. We know that Christians were killed. Pliny the Younger and Tacitus tell us that Christians were killed. So for that reason alone the church tradition of their deaths is probably true. As for what Church tradition tells us...

Gospel of John-Tells us about Peter's death
Acts-death of James
Josephus-death of brother of Jesus
-Epistle of Clement-death of Peter and Paul
-2 Timothy-Paul's final words before he is about to die
-Eusubius (hope I spelled that name right) gives a pretty detailed explanation of the deaths of the apostles.


As I said why can't we accept the church tradition? I know that according to some atheists extraordinary events require extraordinary evidence. But the death of Christians isn't one of them. So I think the writings of church leaders should be evidence enough that it happened.