2017 Advent Bounties

Question

Something that I have very much enjoyed (besides the Winter Bash) that has become somewhat of an Advent tradition on this site are the annual Advent Bounty challenges, with bounties offered in 2013, 2015, and 2016. In order to continue this tradition, I will be offering a bounty for each week of Advent (See below). Will anyone join me?

As usual, feel free to choose your own criteria and schedule for placing bounties – some prefer to place one or two bounties on questions that need new answers, while others like to reward existing excellent answers once a week, for example. Simply post an answer here with your criteria, and update it as you add bounties to questions.

Answer 1

• Week 1 - Is there a historical reason why the liturgical colour purple eventually replaced black to symbolise penance?

One of the top unanswered questions in catholicism and appropriate to the season. I also have no idea why this is the case!

• Week 2 - Is there a particular order in lighting candles on an advent wreath?

Very good answer by fredsbend on this which I will probably be awarding the bounty to unless another better one could possibly be crafted.

• Week 3 - Does any church still provide a pension for widows?

I'm not sure this is a great question for the site, but more organizations for helping Widows would be a good thing for the world!

Answer 2

I'm posting fifty reputation on What denominations, besides JWs, hold that the Star of Bethlehem was sent by Satan?. It's an exemplary question that's received no answers as of yet, and I'm looking forward to seeing what answers come forward between now and Christmas.

Answer 3

• Week 1 - Origin of La Madonna Del Gatto

  For week 1, I will be offering a bounty of 100 reputation to anyone able to provide information about where Leonardi Da Vinci found the inspiration for La Madonna del Gatto. The most detailed, reputable answer with citations will be awarded this bounty. This seems like the most festive question with which to begin the advent bounty challenge season.

  Result: Despite depperm's excellent hint No answers were offered and no bounty was awarded.

• Week 2 - Does the Chicago Statement meaningfully support a doctrine of Biblical inerrancy?

  For week 2, I will be offering a bounty of 100 reputation to anyone who is able to offer quotes, citations and summaries of prominent supporters and/or signers of the Chicago statement of Biblical Inerrancy. Inerrancy is a topic of great interest to me, and as the question notes the statement "has little practical bearing on everyday Bible-readers" yet it is often wielded as the final authority on the matter. It will be interesting to see how supports navigate the issues noted by the OP.

  Result: While 3 new answers were provided, not a single answer included quotes, citations or summaries of prominent supporters and/or signers of the Chicago statement and instead these answers offered their personal opinions of the matter, so this bounty will go unawarded.
  
  

• Week 3 - Have any Wesleyan theologians compared Outler's Quadrilateral to PaRDeS?

  For week 3, I will be offering a bounty of 100 reputation to anyone able to find any Weslyan theologians who have compared this ancient hermeneutic framework to the hermeneutic framework developed by Outler. I believe that this framework is of incalculable value to hermeneutics and individuals. This bounty will be awarded to the answer which provides exceprts and summaries from the most theologians. It seems like PaRDeS is similar in many ways and different in many ways. In lieu of any theologians doing this, I am also willing to accept a direct comparison/contrast made by the answerer if they are unable to find any theologians who have done so.

  Result: No answers were offered and no bounty was awarded.
  
  

• December 25th - Any question

  For the Christmas holiday, I will be awarding a gift of 50 reputation to any question offered between 12/3 and 12/25 that I feel is particularly outstanding.

  Result: This bounty was awarded to Gina's outstanding answer to the question "Why is the word “dragon” in the Bible?" This answer is well cited and demonstrates all of the markings of a "good" answer.