Kata Markon

["Stephen C. Carlson" <scarlson AT mindspring.com>]

At 09:27 AM 9/16/99 +0200, Wieland Willker wrote:
>Stephen C. Carlson wrote:
>> What is the status of having a scholar other than Smith to inspect
>> the actual manuscript?  I recall rumors about Hedrick, but the
>> rumors as I received them were inconsistent...
>
>Hedrick tried to look at the manuscript in Mar Saba and in the Greek
>Patriarchate library (Jerusalem) without success. But there they showed and
>copied for him other photos that are different from M. Smith ones. It seems
>as if they have removed the letter from the book.

This fact, if true, is a serious cause for concern, because removing
the letter from the book destroys a link in the chain of authenticating
evidence for the document.  How can we now verify that the letter was
actually found in the book that Smith claimed he did?

>Hedrick thinks the letter is authentic and he will continue trying to locate
>it. He thinks that is has been removed to another library (maybe Istanbul?)
>due to its special status.

I hope he succeeds.  Is there any chance someone can get a current
report from him (e.g. a colleague by email, etc.)?

>I don't know of any other atempt to investigate this (which I find very
>strange because it is a very interesting topic).

I agree; it is strange.

Stephen Carlson
--
Stephen C. Carlson                        mailto:scarlson AT mindspring.com
Synoptic Problem Home Page   http://www.mindspring.com/~scarlson/synopt/
"Poetry speaks of aspirations, and songs chant the words."  Shujing 2.35