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The Conversation
The Conversation
Joan Taylor, Professor Emerita of Christian Origins and Second Temple Judaism, King's College London

What world was Jesus born into? A historian describes the turbulent times of the real nativity

Jesus Herod Joseph Bethlehem Rome
Getty Images

Every year, millions of people sing the beautiful carol Silent Night, with its line “all is calm, all is bright”.

We all know the Christmas story is one in which peace and joy are proclaimed, and this permeates our festivities, family gatherings and present-giving. Countless Christmas cards depict the Holy Family – starlit, in a quaint stable, nestled comfortably in a sleepy little village.

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