week starts at Sunday or Monday??

[Brian Garrett]

----- Original Message -----
From: Clive D.W. Feather <clive at demon.net>
To: Infoman Inc. <mpereira at istar.ca>
Cc: Antoine Leca <Antoine.Leca at renault.fr>; TZ <tz at elsie.nci.nih.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, October 04, 2000 12:31 AM
Subject: Re: week starts at Sunday or Monday??


> Clearly the resurrection - which was on a Sunday - was on the first day of
> the week. [From context it's clear that the cruxifiction was the day
before
> the sabbath, which makes it a Friday.]
>

Boy, does this discussion bring back memories.  For any member of the
religious group known as the Churches of Christ (as well as for us
ex-members in recovery)  any mention of the phrase "first day of the week"
calls up this and several other biblical texts from a database we CofC-ers
carry around in our heads after sitting through dozens of mind-numbing
sermons on this subject.

We even used to sing a hymn before communion, the words of which are so
holier-than-thou that I found the song rather offensive even in my
church-going days.  But since it's on topic by way of documenting the
traditional usage in Christendom of beginning the week with Sunday, here are
the first verse and chorus in all their (gulp) splendor:

Upon the first day of the week
Disciples met to break the bread
And drink the cup in memory
Of Him whose blood for us was shed.

Though others may forsake the Lord
Yet we are here thy truths to seek.
Thy holy presence comforts us, dear Lord,
Upon the first day of the week.


(Somebody probably owns the copyright for that.
Gee, I hope they don't sue me  :-) )


Brian