The last 12 verses of marks gospel were added sometime after the original gospel. Arkansas professor studies snakehandling congregations. May 01, 2007 a 1994 news report from a serpent handling church in north alabama. Dennis covington, a christian and former journalist who wrote an insiders account of his experiences with serpent handlers for the 1995 book salvation on sand mountain. Although the vast majority of later greek manuscripts contain mark 16. Snakehandling and the gospel of mark the bart ehrman blog. And, as a final biblical thread, there are the eschatological themes from revelation where victory over the. So, you take up a rattlesnake, you let it slither on your body, and then it strikes you, sinking its fangs deep into your skin. As a result, it is unwise to use anything from mark 16. Chronologically, the gospel of mark was the first of the four gospels, and the last 12 verses of mark are absent from the two earliest manuscripts. Mar 17, 2015 it is important to note that the originality of the last 12 verses in the book of mark are highly disputed, even by many christians. Snake handling and salvation in southern appalachia, explained to cp that some handlers also see the practice as a means of fulfilling prophecy. Suppose you take the verse of snake handling as your own, and you have full confidence in gods wordthey shall take up serpents.
Snake handling pastor bitten by deadly rattlesnake my life. January 23, 2017 christian publishing house apologetics, biblical studies, christian apologetics, science and the bible 7 comments snake handling or serpent handling 1 is a religious ritual in a small number of pentecostal churches in the u. Salvation on sand mountain, written by journalist dennis covington in a masterly, artistic style, is a cultural expose about religious fundamentalists from southern appalachia who had come down from the mountains to put their religious stamp on a wider societal milieu, including covington himself, who inadvertently becomes a parishioner and takes up serpents. It is important to note that the originality of the last 12 verses in the book of mark are highly disputed, even by many christians. The power and meaning of the christian serpent handling tradition, a 2008 book. In this post id like to go directly to the bible and examine the biblical warrants offered by the snake handling churches. I cringed at faith gone askew and biblical misinterpretation as well as the trauma this must have brought to his family and congregation. Snake handling, as practiced by some misguided churches, is not a biblical endeavor. If these last verses of mark s gospel were left out, the book would not come to an orderly conclusion, as does every. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, no doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
Pentecostal snake handling is practiced by a very small branch of the pentecostal movement that developed in the late 19thearly 20th century. Snake handling christians believe in signs and wonders, too, but they also believe taking up snakes is something god commands them to do. While serpent handling has been outlawed in all but two southern states, there remain several. Bible, but was added much later by scribes trying to give the book of mark a stronger, more dramatic ending. Snake handling in mark 16 a thought from nick lunn i am currently editing a superb book on the long ending of mark s gospel mark 16. Snake handlers are essentially fundamentalist christians who follow a literal interpretation of the bible. Mar 01, 2018 west virginia pentecostal pastor mark randall mack wolford, who handled snakes, was fatally bitten by a rattlesnake, which he owned for years, at the panther wildlife management area, 80 miles west of bluefield, west virginia during a sunday snakehandling service, reports the washington post. Snake handlers embrace what they believe to be the authentic gospel, which is confirmed by the lord with signs following mark 16.
Previous accounts of the signs followers focused on the sensational aspects of the religion. As the oldest manuscripts are known to be the most accurate because there were. Snake handling religionwiki fandom powered by wikia. Snake handling and the restoration of peace to the world. May 30, 2012 a serpent handling west virginia pastor died after his rattlesnake bit him during a church ritual, just as the man had apparently watched a snake kill his father years before. His father is an infamous snake handling pastor at the church of christs disciples with signs of belief. Jan 29, 2018 ralph hood, a professor of psychology at the university of tennessee at chattanooga and an expert on snakehandling churches, said duins book documents the divide between snake handlings old. The practice began in the early 20th century in appalachia, spreading to mostly coal mining towns. The book, he said, fits the publishers mandate to publish books about religious history and about the american south where snake handling churches date to the early 1900s.
Mar 12, 2014 snake handling as a form of worship is practiced by a small number of churches mostly in the rural southeastern united states. Snake handling is derived from a misuse of one small clause in a verse at the end of the gospel of mark, with another passage or two occasionally garnered as secondary support. Practitioners believe serpent handling dates to antiquity and quote the book of mark and the book of luke to support the practice. He is pictured several times in the book handling snakes himself. Ralph hood, a professor of psychology at the university of tennessee at chattanooga and an expert on snake handling churches, said duins book documents the divide between snake handling s old and. Snake handling or serpent handling 1 is a religious ritual in a small number of pentecostal churches in the u. Yet, even those who advocate for the passages inclusion into the gospel, dont also argue that snake handling is presentday application of the text for christians, pentecostal or not.
In the opening pages of jeff zentners the serpent king, we come to know about dill earlys family history of snake handling. State laws prohibiting snake handling, or limiting it to trained handlers, have been upheld by state supreme courts as a reasonable safety and health regulation. However, were the snake handlers to abandon their current interpretation of mark 16. It is the handling of live, venomous snakes during worship and is intended as an act and expression of faith. This story hits home with me because i have developed a sincere appreciation of snake handling churches thanks to the show. There are more than 80 different varieties of baptist and pentecostal faiths found in appalachia. For snake handlers, going to church can prove deadly. The dead snake handler and the dead poets society desiring god. If this meant that every single individual believer had to manifest this sign, then salvation could only come to places with snakes, or else missionaries would be required to bring snakes to snakeless places so that people. A brief history of snake handling, in case the common communion cup isnt enough of a health hazard for you. Some churches today are handling snakes because of one verse and this should not be. A unique church, found only in appalachia is the snake handling church. For new york times reporter dennis covington, what began as a journalistic assignmentcovering the trial of an alabama pastor convicted of attempting to murder his wife with poisonous snakes would evolve into a headlong plunge into a bizarre, mysterious, and ultimately irresistible world of unshakable faith.
A brief history of snake handling, in case the common. It started 100 years ago with an illiterate pentecostal preacher in tennessee who interpreted mark 16. Nevertheless, there have been fewer than 100 confirmed deaths in the history of snake handling. It was added long after the book of mark was written and is therefore not a genuine part of the inspired bible. Although it appears in the king james and new king james versions, many other translations either label this section as an appendix or leave it in the footnotes, as. Prosecutions are rare and while the community denies being part of a cult, these days, serpent handling has become a notoriously private and secretive practice. Snakehandling and the gospel of mark here is something to break up a bit my thread on the gospel of mark, studied from a literaryhistorical perspective to be resumed in my next post.
The report, released by namb this past tuesday, says that the practice of snake handling as part of sunday morning worship services has risen in baptist churches from 2% in 2006 to 17% this spring. People want to handle snakes, but they miss the part where it says they will drink deadly poison. The author, nicholas lunn, argues that the long ending was not a later addition to the gospel but was the original ending written by mark. Mark randall mack wolford, pastor of house of the lord jesus in matoaka, was passionate about handling snakes during worship services and, according to what the pentecostal leader told the washington post last year, might have drunk two gallons of strychnine a strong poison commonly used as pesticide to kill rats. Snake handling was made a felony punishable by death under georgia law in 1941, following the death of a sevenyearold from a rattlesnake bite. George went hensley is often credited with introducing snake handling practices into the church of god holiness, an association of autonomous christian methodist congregations, founding the dolly pond church of god in birchwood, tennessee, around 1910. On one occasion when the apostle paul was carrying a bundle of sticks a venomous snake crawled from the bundle and coiled around his hand. Snake handling as a religious rite in the united states, also called serpent handling.
All this without simply going native and losing his detachment and objectivity. There is no instance in the bible where christ or his apostles handled poisonous snakes. Aug 07, 2019 while christian mythology has long cast snakes as being a symbol the devil, pentecostal snake wrangling churches take their cue from the book of mark, in which the faithful are said to be safe in. And how does this first century gospel echo earlier biblical texts referring to human. Though she never attended another meetin with snakes, the sights and sounds of that one night have never escaped her memory. Many people consider snake handling to be a part of uneducated folk religion, however, churches who practice snake handling claim their scriptural mandate from the gospel of mark 16. A glimpse into the snake handling churches of appalachia. While christian mythology has long cast snakes as being a symbol the devil, pentecostal snakewrangling churches take their cue from the book of mark. Sep 02, 2018 a tennessee snake handling expert is bothered that a london media companys documentary fails to understand the tradition of serpent handling pastors.
Snake handling is legal in the state of west virginia, as the current state constitution does not allow any law to impede upon nor promote a religious practice. Snake handling is a religious ritual practiced by a small number of protestant churches, mainly in tennessee, kentucky and other southeast states. I am currently editing a superb book on the long ending of marks gospel mark 16. Snake handling on the rise in baptist churches according to a new report, snake handling is on the rise within baptist churches across the country. Mark is not the only place in the kjv about handling snakes. Feb 26, 2014 despite pastors death, followers are still handling snakes. Immunity to snake venom is a sign of the proclamation of the kingdom of god. As the oldest manuscripts are known to be the most accurate because there were fewer generations of copies from the original. Feb 16, 2014 a kentucky pastor who appeared on snake salvation has died. The book, he said, fits the publishers mandate to publish books about. An interview with herbert benson, associate professor of harvard medical school and bestselling author, ctr, vol 8, no.
Yet, even those who advocate for the passages inclusion into the gospel, dont also argue that snakehandling is presentday application of the text for christians, pentecostal or not. A handful of years later, the father of a classmate, who was a well known snake handling preacher in the area, died after having been bitten by a venomous serpent and as she recalled, the family did not mourn for him, stating, well he shoulda had more. Snake handling is one such example of a dubious concept drawn from mark 16. These brainwashed fundamentalists test what jesus said in the gospel of mark and see if they really can take up deadly snakes. He later traveled the southeast promoting the practice. Snake handlers, sinners, and the electrifying spirit book dvd sample. Aug 20, 2014 snake handling in mark 16 a thought from nick lunn i am currently editing a superb book on the long ending of marks gospel mark 16. Henderson state university psychology professor paul williamson is the coauthor of them that believe.
Pastor mark randall wolford died as a result of a snake bite in may 2012. Marks strange image of interspecies peace handling snakes without harm reveals an early christian expectation that eschatological transformations are manifest in present realities. Americas last snakehandling cults messy nessy chic. Snake handling, a pentecostal pastime essay 1256 words. This practice in some southern circles especially in the appalachians of handling deadly snakes as part of a worship service is based on the saying of jesus in. They know very well the fate that pastor coots suffered could be suffered by any of them who does this during a service. When reading mark we know that the lord will protect us, but that doesnt mean we put god to the test, which is clearly sinful and dangerous.
A kentucky pastor who appeared on snake salvation has died. Not to be confused with handling your snake, or working with snake s snake handling is a practice found within isolated churches, mostly in appalachia, many of which go by the name church of god with signs following or some variant thereof. Snake handling is derived from a misuse of one small clause in a verse at the end of the gospel of mark, with another passage or two occasionally garnered as. The practice of snake handling and of drinking strychnine and other poisons, found in a few offshoots of pentecostalism, find their biblical support in mark. Despite pastors death, followers are still handling snakes. Thus, the reference to handling snakes and drinking poison in mark 16. Dwayne long last sunday in an easter snake handling service in jonesville, va. Bible verses related to snake handling from the king james version kjv by relevance sort by book order mark 16.
Snakehandling in thriller them that follow gets expert. Apr 10, 2020 two days ago, the washington post published a lengthy story on snake handling pastor mack wolford, who died sunday night from, well, a snakebite he got in church. A history of snake handling kimbrough explains the history and practice of serpent handling believers from the perspective of a respectful and scholarly participantobserver. This current post is related to mark but its well, different. In acts, there is the account of paul handling a snake without harm. There are places in the world that have no snakes, yet mark 16. Nov 22, 2017 for a small number of isolated pentecostal holiness churches in the united states, snake handling has been part of religious services since the early 20th century, based on a very literal interpretation of a biblical passage from the gospel of mark. Feb 17, 2014 snake handling began near chattanooga, tenn. Probably more importantly than that, though, the quote is a prophecy, not a command. Practitioners believe serpenthandling dates to antiquity. Their key text is the king james version of mark 16. And how does this firstcentury gospel echo earlier biblical texts referring to human.
Jolo is a tough 30mile drive north over bradshaw mountain from grundy, va. This passage is arguably a later addition to mark, and is footnoted as such in most well known translations of the bible. The practice plays only a small part of the church service of churches that practice snake handling. The significant verses for this practice are found in the gospel of mark 16. Dec 29, 2009 to really understand snake handling one has to understand penecostalism. On white oak mountain, he picked up his first snake as an act of obedience and quickly began recruiting followers, traveling across appalachia and the ozarks. Snake handling and the gospel of mark here is something to break up a bit my thread on the gospel of mark, studied from a literaryhistorical perspective to be resumed in my next post. Two days ago, the washington post published a lengthy story on snakehandling pastor mack wolford, who died sunday night from, well, a snakebite he got in church. The snake handling church, tucked along a winding road, is an asbestosgray building with a small gravel parking lot. Snake handling is pretty much exactly what it sounds like.
For the snake handling churches acts 28 corroborates their interpretation of mark 16. Snake handling during a religious ceremony is in fact illegal in several states including tennessee, alabama and kentucky, despite churches being present in all three states. The practice began in the early 20th century in appalachia, and plays only a small part in the church service. The new testament, however, does not actually command or in any way support the idea that christians should pick up poisonous snakes as an act of worship or an expression of faith. A drunk who often struggled to keep steady work, hensley sought redemption, and believed it could be found in a portion of the book of mark where jesus says to handle snakes in his name. Jan 24, 2018 new books highlight serpenthandling preachers. Primitive christianity or indigenous american religion.
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