Books
Three books written by Martin, one of which can be downloaded.
Three books written by Martin, one of which can be downloaded.
This book is a revision of Martin's doctoral thesis from the University of Wales, Lampeter, where he studied under Professor D. P. Davies.
Its Abstract reads as follows:
The Synoptic Problem is in large measure the province of ancient history, and a comprehensive solution requires a consideration of both chronology and authorship as well as source dependencies. Tabular and graphical analysis of pericope order demonstrates that both Matthew and Luke used Mark and suggests that Luke worked from a memorised copy of Matthew. This gives us the priority of Mark as the first Greek gospel. Q falls to Occam's Razor as redundant, vindicating the Farrer Hypothesis (Luke used Matthew). Matthew's first work, preceding Mark, was an Aramaic collection of logia of c.44 resembling Thomas; with this he later conflated Mark to produce his Greek Gospel. Traditional authorship of all four canonical gospels is supported as believed by the early Church. Papias' comments on Matthew and Mark derive from St John the Apostle and are therefore to be upheld, 'John the Elder' being an invention of Eusebius. The 'Little Apocalypse' is strong evidence that all three Synoptics were written before 70, not after. Mark's Gospel was written before Peter's death, not after, and represents his teaching. Examination of Paul's later epistles indicates that he was released without trial in 62 from his first Roman imprisonment, which is one of several strands giving us a secure date of 62 for Acts. All the Synoptics precede this: Luke (60-1); Matthew (late 40s/50s); Mark (45). Paul was later rearrested c.66 in Asia on a capital charge and taken back to Rome, following a prolonged confrontation with heretics in Ephesus which is echoed in the Pastorals. His last extant epistle was Philippians. Appendices comprise a full New Testament chronology, historical summaries of all the epistles and of Paul's three major captivities, a separate chronology of the movements of Peter and Mark, and a survey of the part played by Antioch.
In addition, it tackles perennial chestnuts such as the chronology of Jesus' ministry in Mark and John, the day and date of the crucifixion, the identification and dates of Paul's visits to Jerusalem, Paul's ever-changing Corinthian itineraries, the date and addressees of Galatians, and many others.
This book presents a new concept in teaching mathematics, focussing on the key numbers e, i and pi, and showing how the central concepts develop one from the other and interweave, as described in BW/003 cited above. It is intended for a wide readership, including particularly people of normal intelligence who because badly taught at school decided prematurely that maths was ‘not for them.’ As it says in the Introduction:
From the back cover:
This book is born of a deep-seated belief that only a reunited and prayerful Church is ever going to complete our mission to bring about God’s kingdom; which was the main subject of Jesus’ teaching and represents the only imaginable hope for the future of planet Earth. Maintaining the historic tensions between the churches – and in particular the gulf which opened up between Roman Catholics and evangelicals at the Reformation – is therefore a luxury we cannot afford.
Martin Mosse presents some principles of peacemaking – first from the gospels and then from the life of his ancestor Charles Simeon – from which he proposes a structure for peacemaking according to which contrasting beliefs may not always be mutually exclusive. For instance, religious and non-religious approaches to God may be complementary. Again, confusion has often arisen from the fact that there are two bundles of good news in the New Testament both designated ‘gospel’. Positive attempts to present Roman Catholics and evangelicals to each other in a favourable light are followed by trenchant and radical, but even-handed, criticisms showing how both sides have diverged from their earliest scriptural origins. Such divergences in their deepest thinking, while unrecognised, make reconciliation impossible. Mosse goes on to plead for a return to the ancient and biblical practice of waiting on God in silent, contemplative prayer. This allows God to re-order our minds and lives and leads to the mystical dimension which has frequently been manifest within Roman Catholicism, but which evangelical Protestantism was born without and needs to recover. Such a practice on both sides could bring about a healing of the Church and so advance the kingdom of our problem-solving God.