Scrolls from the Dead Sea; The flood of light

Scrolls from the Dead Sea. I shall praise the MY GOD for thou hast brought Marco's with us. And with the creature of clay has acted mightily. All the day continually. I show blessed by name and in the abundance of thy goodness shall my soul delight. I praise Thee O Lord I praise thee. This is an excerpt from the scroll of Thanksgiving hymn. Who's one of the seven original ard scrolls found in a cave near the Dead Sea. We're not certain who put this another parchment documents in the caves nor what happened to their owners.

But it is probable that one day in the fateful spring of 68 A.D. as the Roman legions swept down on the roots of them the documents were placed in earthenware jars and hidden in the caves which gave them refuge for almost two thousand years. These goals constitute twentieth century scholarships greatest discovery. The flood of light program 13 of schools from the Dead Sea a radial exploration of the most significant archaeological find of our time. These programs are produced by radio station WAGA of the University of Wisconsin under a grant from the Educational Television and Radio Center in cooperation with the National Association of educational broadcasters. Since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in one thousand forty seven scholars from many fields have

been hard at work. Paleography archaeologists biblical scholars and theologians and many more have been working with the documents. One of these scholars is Professor Menachem Mansoor chairman of the department of Hebrew and Semitic Studies at the University of Wisconsin. Recently Professor Mansoor traveled in Europe Israel and America collecting documentary materials for these programs. He tape recorded interviews with over 25 leading scholars and theologians and gauged in the work. And now back at the University of Wisconsin professor Mansoor has planned and written this series of programs exploring the meaning and content of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Professor Mansoor. We have now reached our final program. It will be presumptuous on my part to speak today at length on the significance of this momentous discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. I would rather bring before you the interviews recorded in my machine of world leading

scholars and theologians from various parts of the world to impress upon you the impact of these findings and their importance to our civilization. Traveling as I did from one country to another in search for knowledge from competent scholars and world authority I was particularly seeking answers to the following questions. 1. What is the importance and significance of the scrolls too. Will the scrolls bring about any change in current religious beliefs. Some writers have claimed or are they of purely historical import. And three is the discovery of the scrolls gain or loss for religion. First here is Professor William Reed of the College of the Bible in Lexington Kentucky. I asked what's the importance and significance of the scrolls.

We cannot say what the significance of the Qumran scrolls may be until all the manuscript material has been published and studied for some time. However certain things are clear at this date in some cases a comparison of the canonical works with the mass already taxed has shown that the ancient scribes were exceedingly accurate in copying their sacred manuscripts. In the case of several Old Testament books this has merely confirmed the importance of the master reading text. Time does not permit me to speak of other possible points of significant but it may be noted that the discovery of the Qumran scrolls in a region where it was once thought that ancient manuscripts could not survive raises the possibility that future explorations may recover other early manuscripts from the Old Testament period or from the period of early Christianity. Now Professor Philip Hiatt is the dean of Vanderbilt University

and president of the society of medical literature. I asked him if he thought there was any particular challenge offered by the Dead Sea Scrolls. The deadly discoveries present a great challenge to scholars to those who specialize in their old testament to those who specialize in the New Testament and have been exploring all of the material from the Dead Sea region must be studied carefully and integrated with material from many other sources. Scholars should work together in seeking a better understanding of the Bible and the origins of Christianity Judaism. They should work objectively and without axes to grind this way. We sure finally arrive at the truth. Here now is an interview with Professor W. F.. All right of Johns Hopkins University Baltimore. He's recognized as the world leading authority

on the book of archaeology. I asked Professor Albright whether the new knowledge from the scrolls is going to revolutionize anything. Here is Professor Albright I have said in various places that the discovery of these grows from ribbit is revolutionizing New Testament scholarship. A French scholar named have insisted that they revolutionize your studies. Also but there's a world of difference between my meaning for the word revolution and the meaning attached the word revolution by Lego. They insist that this revolutionized our knowledge of Christ the beginnings of Christian theology of Christian theology. I

insist with a rapidly increasing number of Catholic Protestant scholars that the importance lies in a different direction hit to New Testament scholars have worked on the New Testament without any literature of comparable age with which to compare it in fact. So as a result they were guessing the most critical New Testament scholars place the writing in The New Testament between about 50 50 after Christ. One hundred fifty eight. It seems to me that the evidence is no completely against this point of view. The Gospel of John which most critical scholars have been dating in the late into the second century are actually extremely close

in language and often in point of view to comment on scrolls through the Gospel of John is Kris Jenner not Jewish and Jewish or not Christian. I further Professor Albright whether the text of the scrolls were published and what they bring about any change in current religious beliefs. Eventually it'll take a long time since you know nothing about. How the New Testament developed in my opinion wrong. I think scholarship will have to be redone from one but in a more conservative direction because the books of the New Testament. All seem to be much earlier than most New Testament scholars among the partisans

particularly to some extent. Furthermore we got to recognize that Christianity didn't come with making a complete break with a past. Connection with Judaism much closer than we had supposed. There you have Professor Albright's view important from Baltimore but was stopped on our way there. Professor of sacred scripture Immaculate Conception. I put this question to Monsignor Doherty. Do you think the discovery of the scrolls is a gain or a loss for religion. It is my definite judgment that the discovery of the scroll is again for religion. If you view them only in the abstract they contribute to our knowledge of the history of

religion. Discovery of first hand records such as these is always a great boon to the scholars pacifically view they are of particular interest to the study of the Jewish faith and to our knowledge of it. They are of great interest to the Christian faith too. If they throw light on the background of the New Testament one of the American scholars who has been working on the scroll since their discovery and published several texts on the scrolls is Professor Miller Barrows of Yale University. His book of the scrolls was a bestseller and is one of the most authoritative works on the subject. He too agrees that the discovery is again for religion. No discovery of truth can be a loss for religion. The discovery of the scrolls is a gain for religion in so far as it helps us to understand the Bible and the history of our religion.

Professor asked whether this might bring about change in current religious believes. What kind of change could they bring about. I have never heard that previous discoveries of contacts between the Bible and Babylonian Egyptian Persian and Greek religion caused any change in religious belief or ritual. Another scholar who is an authority on the scrolls and author of an important book on the subject is Professor Charles Fritz of Princeton Theological Seminary. Let us listen to what he has to say about their importance and significance. Professor French there is no question that the discovery of these scrolls has been a great boon for religion both for the understanding of the Judaism of this period that is from about 200 B.C. to A.D. 100. And for our understanding of the New Testament and the origins of the Christian church they are of an

estimable value to be sure. Many of the things brought out in the scrolls have been known before but never before were they seen so clearly in the context of the life of a sect who settlement and library are now plainly visible to human are like Dr Barrows his colleague Professor French insists that no change whatsoever will be brought about by the discovery. The Dead Sea Scrolls will not bring about any change in current religious belief and ritual. Nothing in these documents need change the Christians belief in Christ as the Messiah promised by God of all to save his people. This faith in the uniqueness of the person of Christ which electrified and empowered the early Christians is unshaken today by these discoveries whether they are of purely historical import. We may say that these scrolls are most important historically for our understanding

of the Judaism of that time and the origins of the Christian church. Let me now take you to Oxford England and let us listen to Professor J Our driver. He's a world authority in Biblical studies. Here are his views on the importance of the discovery. This scrolls have so very little if any direct light on either of the great religions Judaism or Christianity. The importance lies in the flood of light which they have thrown on the period which is at the background of the Gospels. Every scrap of information however small on the period of such talk making importance is welcome Professor of the University of Manchester a theologian and Bible scholar of the first water is convinced that the discovery constitutes a considerable gain for

religion a very considerable gain every bit of additional light we can have which bears on the Old Testament or the New Testament is again and I welcome unreservedly. The discovery of the scrolls in the new light which they have brought to us in Manchester England. I went to visit my former teacher the Reverend Edward Robertson formerly of the University of Manchester and now our chief librarian at the famous John Rylands library. That was a memorable meeting with a beloved teacher. In the course of our exchange of views on this cross Professor Roberts expressed the views of the layman as he prefers to say his message is of importance to laymen. So let us listen to Professor Robertson. Well Dr Mansoor I feel convinced that there is no real cause for fear

on the part of the religious community is concerned. The divine inspiration and guidance is clear strong and unshakable. I am quite convinced that when the controversies which are raging at the moment drowned the Dead Sea Scrolls have seized. On the dust of battle has said that nothing but good can emerge from those discussions. It can only be gained to know more of the background of one's own religious belief faith. I think the layman not the least concerned as to the outcome. From England we went to Belgium I was anxious to meet Father just a mess of flu there. There are logical seminars and a member of the

Paris National Center of scientific research. He's by the way the author of a recently published book on the scrolls. Here are his views on the importance of this cross. Well the scholars who are working on these Dead Sea Scrolls are unanimous in acknowledging that the literature of the sectarians of Brown has spurred to a new light upon the Jewish new year of Palestine of the New Testament period it became clear there for that reason out a prior study of first biblical or Jewish literature and especially of traditional Jewish exegesis. Any conclusions on this score necessarily be incomplete. My interview with Father forked in Rome at the Vatican Pontifical Biblical Institute was a memorable and unforgettable experience. Father fact is the director of the Institute and a biblical scholar of international repute. The following is the

interview tape recorded at the Institute with the help of the Italian Broadcasting Service. I first asked father fucked whether you would tell us what was the attitude of the Holy See toward this discovery of the Holy See which is the highest authority of the Catholic Church. Not only does not fear anything from the Dead Sea manuscripts or any other ancient documents but has also contributed to the recovery of an important collection of the documents which were still in possession of the Bedouins in October 1955. On being informed that the prompt publication of the texts was hindered as long as the remaining manuscripts of K4 were not recovered from the Bedouins. Pope Pius 12th generously gave a large sum for the acquisition of practically all the remaining fragments of the cave. Only such people as do not understand the Catholic mentality and the Catholic faith can

imagine that any document could be considered as having faith. The security and serenity of the Catholic Church emanates from the evident impossibility of any acquired knowledge. In contrast to absolutely establish truth and such are in our belief the articles of Catholic faith are the documents from the lesson of do their will and I will enable us to grasp more fully the background of Christian Origins. They shall say show us how deeply John the Baptist. Jesus the Apostles are rooted in their people. How will the employers they employ the ways of speaking and thinking and the usages familiar to themselves and to tones to whom they announced their message. I asked father fucked if he thought the scrolls might damage a person's religious convictions.

The answer depends on the degree of this person's conviction. If he has no solid reasons. If religion is for him but something in the way of a habit and that he's not capable of examining the statements published in magazines and newspapers. In this case he's a religious believe maybe that perhaps even shaken out of ignorance. But as a matter of fact up to the present I have not heard of any single such case. Should I hear of any actual case I would attribute the real damage more to the lack of real well-founded conviction then the objections that may have been not culls to his faith. My last interview was with Professor John Trevor professor of religion at Morris Harvey college. You will recall that he was the first American scholar to handle the Dead Sea Scrolls. This is what Professor Trevor considers to be the value of the discovery.

We all know these documents in my judgment may not add to or subtract from the Christian faith and that essential character we may find that their discovery has added something spiritual. God is in this too. I believe accomplishing his creative purposes. Perhaps we shall come to see that this is more than discovery. It is revelation. Several factors lead me to make this prediction. The layman in the first place is becoming aware of the historic continuity from which Christianity emerged in ancient times by the impact of this discovery. The back Larry is taking on meaning we never realized before. And secondly the layman is becoming aware of the interrelatedness of the historic past. Jesus did not appear in an image and historical back your to understand him fully therefore we must understand his environment. And a layman is becoming aware of it and this awareness has resulted in a renewed interest in Bible study and a new appreciation of the Old Testament. Even the part of

many outside the church. For them I want the real values of archaeology and other scientific biblical disciplines are beginning to be appreciated as never before. They are important for more than just proving the Bible as so many have used them in the past. But more valuable than all of the is in my judgment is the evidence that the Dead Sea Scrolls may sound the death knell to Biblical literalism and fetishism and open the door to an era of healthy honest Bible study that would leave the Bible or the Book of Life and a living spring of life idealism that my professor used to say. For there is a growing awareness that words and phrases creeds and dogmas are not the efforts of faith but merely vehicles for the expression of faith. The Bible is not a source book a proof text to a land of 482 one Dogman but a book of life in which man is confronted by God. The Dead Sea Scrolls are helping many to discover this truth in their I believe God is at work.

Let me now emphasize what is fiction about the scrolls. It is fiction that the text of the Hebrew Bible will have to be written. It is fiction that Orthodox Jews and Roman Catholics. Are hanging back in their task of the cipher in the text of the scrolls lest they find in them something detrimental to their respective faiths. It is fiction that the teacher of righteousness had been crucified just like Jesus and it is fiction that the scrolls will revolutionize our approach to Christianity. What then are the views of the overwhelming majority of the scholars about this fabulous discovery. One the Dead Sea Scrolls are universally accepted as genuine texts and they date from before and during the lifetime of Christ to the biblical scrolls are about 1000 years older than any other clearly dated extant manuscripts of the Old Testament. On the whole this calls confirm their authenticity and trustworthiness of our traditional Hebrew text.

Just as the discovery of the Greek pirates have confirmed the general trustworthiness of the Greek text of both the Old and the New Testament 3. The Biblical text will clarify a few obscure passages in the Hebrew Old Testament. The Committee for the Revised Standard Version edition of 1952 effected 13 changes in the English translation of the book of Isaiah alone. Most of them minor ones for the overwhelming majority view is that the traditional Hebrew Bible is by far superior to the biblical texts of the scrolls 5. The copper scrolls are the first ancient documents discovered that give us clues to buried treasures. They constitute the oldest guide to a treasure trove ever found. 6. The majestic Thanksgiving hymn reflects upon the religious beliefs of the sect and will throw light upon the development of religious history. 7.

Many branches of Jewish studies will be enriched such as Bible Bible biblical commentaries archaeology and the Hebrew language 8. This sect of the scrolls is generally identified as the SCA or at least as an as in like sect. 9. There are indeed striking similarities between the writings doctrines and practices of the Qumran scrolls and those of the New Testament and the early Christian church. The similarities between the scrolls and the New Testament will enable us to grasp more fully the background of Christian Origins. They form the Jewish background of the Gospels of Christian institutions like baptism the sacramental meal and of many other Christian ideas. 11. There is nothing in the scrolls to show that either John the Baptist or Jesus may have been a member of the sect or the twelve. The scrolls will not require the revision of any basic article of Christian faith.

It will certainly not revolutionize our approach to the origins of Christianity. On the contrary they throw a flood of light upon the few centuries immediately preceding the advent of Christianity. Finally the scrolls express a universal truth. We all have one God. Well we are now reaching the end of this series. The views of the scholars and theologians to which you have been listening should not be regarded as the final word about the scrolls. We do not know what the thousands of fragments yet undecipherable have in stock for us. I cannot finish this series without a personal note. To me personally the meeting with so many colleagues and scholars has been an unforgettable and inspiring experience and encouraging aspect of this project is the readiness with which scholars all over agree to take part without their

help and the spirit in which it was extended. These programs would not have been possible these scholars have earned the gratitude of listeners throughout the United States. Scrolls from the Dead Sea. The final program in a radio exploration of the most significant archaeological find of the century. These programs are produced by radio station WAGA of the University of Wisconsin under a grant from the Educational Television and Radio Center. Professor Menachem Mansoor chairman of the department of Hebrew and Semitic Studies at the University of Wisconsin was the author already and narrator for the series the reader was Carl ferment production and editing by Carl Schmitt and Claire Prothero. The music by Don vaguely. These programs are distributed by the National Association of educational broadcasters. This is the end E.B. Radio Network.