Culture News
Christian Fundamentalism and the Dead Sea Scrolls in San Diego
February 11, 2008 update: Please note: From time to time this article disappears, apparently on account of formatting problems connected with its length. As of today I am shortening it. I have briefly summarized the deleted passages at the appropriate spots, and the full, original version can be viewed at this link.
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Recently, there has been some general awareness that an important group of Jewish and Israeli historians and archaeologists were excluded from a massive Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit that took place at the San Diego Natural History Museum from July to December of 2007. Many people, however, are a bit confused as to what it's all about. Why exclude people? And why did it cost six million dollars to create this exhibit anyway? After all, it's just a bunch of old parchment texts, so who cares?
Hoping to shed some light on these matters, I decided to take a closer look at the history of the exhibit. What I found was evidence that members of the old Dead Sea Scrolls monopoly group [details on the monopoly have been omitted and may be read in the full, original version of this article linked above] teamed up with individuals affiliated in one way or another with a number of Christian fundamentalist "educational institutions" to market the exhibit and control precisely what type of ideas would be presented in it.
So what do the "American Institute For Advanced Biblical Studies," "Grace College," the "Institute of Holy Land Studies," the "Jerusalem Institute for Biblical Exploration," the "Jerusalem University College," the "University of the Holy Land" and other similar institutions all have in common, and what do they have to do with the Dead Sea Scrolls? For the answer, read on.
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An article in the San Diego Union-Tribune sums up the basic facts as follows: "David Noel Freedman, a well-known biblical scholar at the University of California San Diego," invited his former student Dr. Risa Levitt Kohn, now a faculty member at San Diego State University, "to meet Weston Fields, executive director of the Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation, which raises funds for publication and preservation through exhibitions. Levitt Kohn suggested the Natural History Museum as a possible venue."
Another website similarly explains that Weston Fields "visited Freedman at UCSD while Levitt Kohn was completing her doctoral studies."
Already a bit worrisome was the role played in this affair by David Noel Freedman. I've known for some time that Freedman grew up in New York, then became a Presbyterian minister at the age of 22 -- his father, incidentally, was a Jewish immigrant from Romania, known as "king of the gag writers" for his comedic collaboration with Eddie Cantor -- and went on to write his "joint Ph.D. dissertation" with Frank Cross. After receiving their "joint degree," Cross and Freedman both became (1) promoters of the theory that the Dead Sea Scrolls were written at Qumran by a radical, proto-Christian sect known as the Essenes, and (2) members of the team of "editors" who [see original version of this article for details], monopolized access to the scrolls for many years.
Still missing from the picture, however, was any kind of solid background info on the individual who appeared to be the animating force behind the San Diego exhibit: namely, Weston Fields, "executive director" of the Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation. Who is this guy, and why would he be having lunch with Freedman and soon-to-be Dr. Kohn at UCLA? That's the question I started with, and from that point on a whole picture began to emerge.
Here is what I found on Fields:
According to one website, he received a Th.D. at Grace Theological Seminary, and taught at the same institution and at its sister Grace College for ten years. Then he went on to earn a Ph.D. in biblical studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His dissertation, on "Sodom and Gomorrah: Tradition, Motifs and Meaning in Genesis 18, 19," was written under the direction of Shemaryahu Talmon, one of the most doctrinaire defenders of the old Qumran-Essene theory ever to have played a role in scrolls scholarship. Fields' own claim to fame as a scholar apparently comes not from any work on the Dead Sea Scrolls, but from having authored the "notes on Jeremiah and Lamentations for the study-reference edition of the New American Standard Bible." Another website indicates that he also taught "at the Institute of Holy Land Studies (now Jerusalem University College) for seven years." And still another site describes him as "Chair, Department of Biblical Studies; Chair, Division of Old Testament and Culture of Ancient Israel, University of the Holy Land, Jerusalem."
Well, let's take these institutions one by one.
First, Grace College: located in the "resort community of Winona Lake, near Warsaw, Indiana," it is "associated with the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches" and defines itself as an "evangelical Christian community of higher education which applies Biblical values...." Its webpage includes the statement: "Our goal in Christian living and teaching is to make Christ preeminent in all things." It further indicates that "Grace College affirms the inerrancy of scripture and the moral, spiritual, and historical authority of the Bible, embracing sound theology, including the divine creation of the universe and other great doctrines."
Second, the Institute of Holy Land Studies: based in Sherwood, Arkansas, it is also known as the "American Institute For Advanced Biblical Studies." Founded by Dr. Ron Moseley in 1991 as a "specialty college," it serves as a "training center for biblical teachers and laymen relating to Middle Eastern history." Its "Statement of Faith" explains that its program gives "special emphasis to the Christian faith as it was originally conceived..., refuting and denying all atheistic, agnostic, pagan, and neo-scientific alterations of the Scriptures. We affirm ... the creation of man by the act of God, the incarnation and virgin birth of Jesus of Nazareth as the Jewish Messiah. We affirm His vicarious atonement for the sins of the world, by shedding of the Messiah's blood on the cross as the innocent for the unjust and the resurrection of His body from the tomb..." Apparently, the Institute, or at least its Jerusalem branch, goes by a third name as well: the "Jerusalem University College"; but this place has a different website and a slightly different "faith statement" which refers to the principles of the National Association of Evangelicals.
Third, the University of the Holy Land: its online "academic profile" states that it was "developed" in 1986 by the "Center for the Study of Early Christianity." It offers, among other degrees, a Master of Theological Studies "designed for students desiring to enter into ministerial areas of vocation." Its website includes a page soliciting financial contributions that can be sent to an address in Medford, Oregon. One of its projects involves the construction of a model "Nazareth Village" the aim of which is to "provide a sort of time capsule into which the contemporary visitor might step to encounter more effectively the message of Jesus in its original setting."
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So far so good. If the only element of my story were Weston Fields and his illustrious teaching career, well, then perhaps it would not be much of a story. Field's affiliations, however, are only the beginning of the story.
It turns out that one past member of the University of the Holy Land's adjunct faculty and board of advisors, is Dr. William Schniedewind, a biblical scholar who teaches at UCLA, and whose views on the Scrolls and Khirbet Qumran were displayed in a "virtual reality" film at the San Diego exhibit. Dr. Schniedewind did his doctoral work at Brandeis, but where did he receive his M.A.? At the Jerusalem University College (see above).
[Here I omit a paragraph discussing the University of the Holy Land's founder.]
As for Weston Fields, the primo mobile behind the San Diego exhibit, his name is not listed on the University of the Holy Land site despite the chair that he claims to hold there; but I took a closer look at his Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation. Its website states that it "is involved in facilitating international exhibitions of scrolls, and serves as a clearing house for many other matters relating to scrolls research and scholarship." Its "primary function," however, "is the financial support of the official publication in the Oxford University Press series" of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The methods it uses to achieve these goals include the sale (no doubt in a variety of venues including museum exhibits) of "Dead Sea Scroll ties and scarves."
Its board of advisors includes minister David Noel Freedman, the guy who shared (so to speak) a Ph.D. with Frank Cross, and whose student Risa Levitt Kohn is the curator of the San Diego exhibit. The foundation's other directors and advisors consist mainly of a series of other academicians, all of whom are associated with the old Qumran-Essene theory of scroll origins.
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[Here I omit a summary of the Dead Sea Scrolls monopoly scandal of the early 1990's, and the involvement in it of individuals connected, whether directly or indirectly, with the University of the Holy Land and the San Diego exhibit. For details, see the original version of this article, linked in the February 11, 2008, update at the top of this page.]
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Let us now return to the exhibit and to our Christian fundamentalist theme. As I have reported in other pieces on this site, Dr. Risa Levitt Kohn, Freedman's student, was appointed curator. While the museum was gathering six million dollars from various wealthy philanthropists, she began to put together the exhibit and its accompanying lecture series, from which the many scholars who disagree with the traditional Qumran-Essene theory were carefully excluded ("you don't want to confuse people," she said). In January, she falsely presented herself in writing as a "Dead Sea Scrolls scholar."
At the same time, Dr. Kohn announced that the exhibit would feature the above-mentioned "virtual reality" film on Qumran (I discussed the sensationalist press campaign surrounding this film at length in an earlier item). It has since come out that the museum and Stephen Spielberg's Righteous Persons Foundation together gave $100,000 dollars to Robert Cargill, a graduate student at UCLA, to further his "dissertation work" involving this film. Cargill is a student of Dr. William Schniedewind, who as we saw above (1) received his M.A. from the Institute of Holy Land Studies and (2) has served as a member of the board of advisors of the University of the Holy Land.
Now what brought Robert Cargill to Dr. Schniedewind and UCLA? A clue is to be found in Cargill's biography which he recently posted on his wikipedia "userpage" after initially attempting to post an encyclopedia article about himself, an action blocked by wiki editors. Here, we learn that before enrolling at UCLA, Cargill attended Pepperdine University, where he received a Master of Science degree in Christian Ministry and a Master of Divinity degree as well. For readers who may be unfamiliar with Pepperdine, it defines itself as a "Christian university," and its website explains that it is "religiously affiliated with the Churches of Christ, of which Mr. Pepperdine, university founder, was a lifelong member." (Members of the "Churches of Christ" seek to reestablish or "re-present" the original first-century Church, i.e., they "regard early Christian behavior recorded in the New Testament as directives, to be followed literally as mandatory practice today.")
In passing, let us note that another sensationalist Dead Sea Scrolls character who got his M.A. at Pepperdine is James Tabor ("he was raised in the Churches of Christ and attended Abilene Christian University where he earned his B.A.," etc.). Tabor is the Charlotte, North Carolina-based religion professor who attempted to demonstrate that undatable feces found at some distance from the Qumran fortress are the remains of an "Essene toilet." Tabor, incidentally, is also the main figure behind the phony "Lost Tomb of Jesus" claim made in a Discovery Channel "documentary" a few months ago. One of the first of the current series of scroll exhibits took place in... Charlotte, North Carolina. At the time, Tabor falsely presented himself as an "archaeologist" in an article he contributed to a Charlotte newspaper. His "toilet" research was conducted jointly with Joe Zias of the "Jerusalem Institute for Biblical Exploration" (which despite its name is another Christian fundamentalist outfit, based in Humboldt, Tennessee). Zias gives lectures in which he presents himself as an expert on the scrolls and other related topics; he is occasionally referred to as "Dr. Joe Zias," but he never received a Ph.D.
Given everything I've said, it is not surprising to learn that Robert Cargill's work-product, the "virtual reality" film being show at the San Diego exhibit, is featured as one of the University of the Holy Land projects on that institution's website, immediately following the "Nazareth Village" project.
The same "University of the Holy Land" website explains that "in studying the Dead Sea Scrolls, scholars are presented with the rare opportunity of exploring the world of ... the Essenes ... The Scrolls themselves are the library of the Essenes and reflect their history, beliefs, practices, liturgies, and Biblical interpretation. The site of Qumran near the Dead Sea was the community center of the Essenes..."
What the website fails to mention, of course, is that a team of major Israeli archaeologists led by Dr. Yitzhak Magen and Dr. Yuval Peleg, after a decade spent reexamining the Qumran site, have, like Yizhar Hirschfeld and other scholars before them, concluded that no Essenes ever lived there and that the scrolls were brought down for hiding from Jerusalem during the revolt against Rome and were written by many different groups within ancient Judaism. And, of course, it fails to mention, for example, that Dr. Rachel Elior who chairs the Department of Jewish Thought at the Hebrew University has reached the same Jerusalem conclusion on textual and historical grounds.
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At least one of the sensationalist news articles surrounding the San Diego exhibit has celebrated the fact that Dr. Schniedewind of UCLA and his student Robert Cargill are both "practicing Christians," as the article puts it, "with a deep appreciation of Judaism and Israel." Given what is now known about the organizations these two individuals are tied to (see again the obvious fundamentalist agenda of the "Institute of Holy Land Studies" where Schniedewind got his M.A., quoted above), the question must be raised: is the UCLA team's fascination with both Judaism and the Dead Sea Scrolls in any way grounded in a desire to "re-present the original first-century Church"?
In addition, bearing in mind the important apocalyptic themes found in some of the Scrolls, clarification is needed on the attitude of the organizations in question towards the belief, broadly shared by Christian fundamentalists, that the Jews must convert to Christianity before the "end of days" can arrive.
At any rate, the apparent connection between Christian fundamentalist institutions and Israeli scholarship is, to say the least, disconcerting. Ultimately, the question must also be raised -- and will hopefully be answered in the coming months and years -- whether these institutions have been offering financial backing and related support to any of the scholars involved.
Furthermore, is it proper for museums claiming scientific objectivity to sponsor exhibits significantly informed by fundamentalist beliefs? In fact, did the San Diego Natural History Museum even know that these various Christian organizations -- all of which seem to be so oddly connected among themselves -- were, together with members of the original Dead Sea Scrolls monopoly, behind the exhibit that Risa Levitt Kohn and Weston Fields pitched to them?
Did they know that Kohn would collaborate with Fields to exclude a series of major Israeli archaeologists from the exhibit, as well as all the other opponents of the old monopolists -- including, above all, Jewish historian Norman Golb who has argued (see his Forward editorial) that, on account of the Qumran-Essene theory popularized by Dominican priest Father Roland de Vaux, the "complex history of the Palestinian Jews on the eve of the First Revolt is being pushed aside in favor of a bizarre, Christologically colored thesis"?
Did Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Stephen Spielberg and other famous donors know that of the millions of dollars they agreed to give for the exhibit, some would be handed over to graduate student (and Minister) Robert Cargill for a project that would be featured on the "University of the Holy Land" website; some would fund the "continuing research" of the old crew of Dead Sea Scrolls monopolists; and some would perhaps pad the pockets of the monopolists' other "righteous," i.e., fundamentalist collaborators? Would the donors have been so quick to shell out the money if they had known exactly who was asking for it?
Who's to say. Where interests coincide, even Oxford University professors and Jewish researchers like Emmanuel Tov and Shemaryahu Talmon [discussed in the original version of this article which can be viewed at the link posted at the top of the page, end of the Feb. 11, 2008 update] will work together with Christian fundamentalists like Fields to achieve common goals. The result is the "inner circle," the chain of connected figures -- heirs of the old Dead Sea Scrolls monopoly -- who are now using the San Diego exhibit to indocrinate thousands of people into believing that the Scrolls are the "library of the Essenes of Qumran."
[August 9 update: I wish to thank Mr. Robert Dworkin for directing my attention to the statement, in an article published nearly three years ago to this date, that "archaeologists who are financed by Christian fundamentalist organizations" had, on August 16, 2004, given a "press conference" to reassert, in the face of research to the contrary, that Qumran was a "monastery" inhabited by a sect or "community," etc. Although the article does not state the names of these individuals, other news items reveal that at least one of them was Randall Price, Th.M., Ph.D., president of the World of Bible Ministries, pastor at "Grace Bible Church" in St. Marcos, Texas (no website found) and "research professor" at the "Oregon Theological Seminary" (website suspended) and also at the thriving Trinity Southwest University (TSU), an institution based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. TSU defines itself as a "trans-denominational institution in the evangelical mainstream ... serving New Mexico's Christian community." Its statement objects to relegating "the Word of God to patient status, rather than its proper role as agent in our lives." TSU's affiliations include the Association of Christian Schools International" (dead link on TSU's site) and the "International Symposium on Archaeology and the Bible" (link provided by TSU goes to Bible products and trivia site). As of today, I have been unable to ascertain which other "archaeologists" were present at the "press conference" of August 16, 2004.]
[October 1 update: William Schniedewind's name has now been removed from the University of the Holy Land's above-linked personnel page, but Google's cached version of the page (as of Sept. 26, 2007) clearly lists him both as advisor and as adjunct professor.]
[October 30 update: My more recent article, Did Christian agenda lead to biased Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit in San Diego?, synthesizes and updates the information presented above and in the comments below, and features an exchange with a fierce supporter of the museum who repeatedly asserts that I am a "bigot" and a "liar."]
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Comments (58)
Charles, you have done it again--if there were any remaining doubts on whether this is a real controversy or just a petty academic quarrel, you have put them to rest.
Charles Gadda, I like this story. It is carefully researched and goes well beyond anything I've seen in the media. The history of the scrolls is just a part, an important part, of the field of "Biblical archeology" with all its attendant forgeries, strained interpretations and politically-driven lies.
Seti, many thanks for your comment, I am really grateful.
Charles, in what way are you connected to all of this?
I've been following this ever since they had a similar exhibit in New York years ago, and Golb critiqued it in his book-- which I found to be a fascinating case study of what happens when a scientific theory collapses and academic politics interfere with an appropriate resolution of the situation.
When my contacts at the Jewish Museum told me that the same Qumran-Essene stunt was about to happen in San Diego, I started looking at the on-line material being put out by the San Diego exhibit people. The result was my public exchange of letters with the curator in January, in which she (1) falsely claimed to be a Dead Sea Scrolls scholar when she has not published a single line on the subject (she later back-tracked on her statement), (2) falsely implied the exhibit would be neutral, and (3) evaded my specific questions.
Given the research developments of the past ten years which have been widely reported in the New York Times and other papers, I have not been surprised to see the outrageous statements, the evasive justifications, the attacks, etc. (see my other pieces). What I was not aware of at all was the involvement of Christian fundamentalist organizations--I had simply assumed it was a matter of academic supporters of the old theory trying to defend a view they are committed to, but the "Holy Land" stuff throws a whole new light on it.
Click on the links I've provided and I think you will see what I mean--I don't know what your personal views are about the proper role of religion, etc. but when I read those "faith statements" I was frankly stunned that such an ideology could be playing a role in a major scientific exhibit funded (at least in part) by the Righteous Persons Foundation.
I eat this stuff up with National Geographic and the History Channel as my all time news source on both modern and ancient news.
I even keep it on in my office just i case something comes up.
Great Story Charles
Barry, the default channels at my house are the History Channel and the International History Channel but on religious matters they are far from being without sin. There are any number of really wonderful programs possible on the archeology of recent years in Israel and other ancient world sites related to the Bible but they aren't to be found on the History Channel. Sometimes it's possible to watch an interesting program by muting the sound but the soundtracks are so full of pious wonder-struck writing and so careful not to offend that I can't abide listening. Today I watched (very briefly) a program on the group searching for Noah's Ark by using divining rods. They were being taken very seriously.
Seti, you really have to take some with a grain of salt, if it is Pious ramblings of course I gloss over it, as for divining rods, well thats what the National Enquirer is for. As for me, I think I am of average intelligence to make up my own mind. Thanks for the comments though.
Charles,
You appear to posses the dogedness of Woodward & Bernstein. Coming home from Jordan where I saw a display of scrolls in Amman's museum, I was intrigued by your piece. Hopefully, Dan Brown will use this material for his next blockbuster which Spielberg will direct in movie form, starring Tom Hanks, of course.
The important aspect of this forum is that it seeks to liberate news, debate it and examine it from a 360 degree viewpoint which is so refreshing given the garbage doled out on Fox etc.
Unfortunately, I have not been impressed very often by Ph. D's real or imagined. Keep up the good work.
Cheers,
Mike
[see next comment]--Charles Gadda
The problem that led to the disappearance of my article has been resolved--I shortened the additional paragraph I had added, and the article is now again viewable. I believe it must have attained a maximum length beyond which the system cannot go. Again, sorry for the inconvenience--Charles Gadda
During the past few days I have discovered further information on the network of Christian evangelist "bible scholars" in Jerusalem. Since my piece has reached the maximum permitted length, I append the info here rather than above.
Not surprisingly, it turns out that Weston Fields is also a member of the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research, a "think tank made up of Jewish and Christian scholars dedicated to better understanding the Synoptic Gospels." The director of this "school" is David Bivin, a "native of Cleveland, Oklahoma" who has lived in Israel since 1963, studying for a long time with various scholars at the Hebrew University and ("for many years") also "privately" with "scholar-pastor" Robert Lindsey (Bivin, we are told, met his wife when she was an employee of Baptist House, "the office of Jerusalem's seventeen-member Narkis Street Baptist Church where Dr. Robert Lindsey was the pastor"). Bivin at one time directed a department at the... Institute of Holy Land Studies. He is the co-author, with Roy Blizzard, Jr. (also originally from Oklahoma), of Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus, and the publisher of Jerusalem Perspective, a "unique, Jerusalem-based" website that presents "the life and teachings of Jesus in their original cultural and linguistic settings." The website features, among other writings, a series of articles that dogmatically preach the Qumran-Essene theory of the origins of the Dead Sea Scrolls. One of them is a diatribe by Mr. Magen Broshi, a fierce defender of that theory who, even though he never received a Ph.D., is frequently cited and presented as an authority on the Scrolls in popular magazines and television "documentaries" on Qumran. Another article, by someone named Stephen Schmidt (no info found) describes the "beliefs, literature and men of the Essene community" as a "vital part of the fabric of Jesus’ world." The website, it goes almost without saying, does not mention (let alone discuss) the research conclusions of the various historians and archaeologists who, during the past decade, have rejected the Qumran-Essene theory.
Jerusalem Perspective is "registered in Israel as a small business, and in the United States as a non-profit organization." It is directed and solely-owned by David Bivin and his wife Josa, "Christians who have lived in Israel since 1963 and 1966, respectively."
Another "educational institution" that apparently plays a role in indoctrinating young Christians into an unquestioning belief in the Qumran-Essene theory, is the Master's College for Christ and Scripture. Based in Santa Clarita, California, it has an "Israel Bible Extension Program" in the Jerusalem "vicinity" (no specific address is given). Its doctrinal statement includes a portion on the "Second Coming and the Millennial Reign," where we read that on account of "disobedience ... Israel was temporarily set aside ... but will again be awakened through repentance [i.e., conversion of the Jews to Christianity] to enter into the land of blessing." The college's team in Israel includes, for example, Mr. Todd Bolen, who received an M.A. from the... Institute of Holy Land Studies and an M.Div. from the college's seminary (which "exists to advance the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping godly men to be pastors," etc.). Mr. Bolen's "teaching focus is in biblical history and archaeology," and he "enjoy[s] especially the opportunity to lead students on hikes and camping trips," but he is currently on "study leave" in Plano, Texas. Through the Christianbook.com website, he markets cd-roms featuring photographs of "Bible Lands," advertised as "perfect for worship, class study, or personal Bible study." The same company also markets a product entitled "Qumran Sectarian Manuscripts on CD-ROM" (no info on author available).
I have now added a link to the wikipedia article on David Noel Freedman. This article, and the sources it provides, indicate that Dr. Freedman has been a Presbyterian minister since 1944, but that his father was a Romanian Jewish immigrant. Thus, it would appear that Dr. Freedman converted to Christianity, unless his mother (Beatrice, nee Rebecca, Goodman) had herself previously converted before he was born. The articles don't make this clear--note how wikipedia discreetly refers to him as "the son of Romanian and Russian immigrants" and as an "initiator of inter-faith cooperation." Either way, the background and affiliations of Freedman and Fields taken together raise further questions concerning the motivations that led to the exclusion of a series of rationalist, secular-minded Jewish scholars from the San Diego exhibit--surely a rather odd example of "inter-faith cooperation."
Freedman's claim to fame as a Dead Sea Scrolls scholar stems largely from his role as so-called editor of the Leviticus scroll. In fact, the story of the "editing" of this manuscript is arguably one of the many scandals in scrolls research; at the very least, it is a good example of the questionable research and publication practices adopted by the Dead Sea Scroll monopoly's members. The Leviticus scroll was assigned to Freedman in 1965. Nine years then went by, and in 1974 he published a brief "preliminary report" on it. Six years later (during which time, of course, hundreds of scholars all over the world were unable to see the scroll), the text still remained unpublished, and Freedman passed it along to one of his graduate students to do his dissertation work on. By virtue of having the good fortune to be a student of Freedman's, this fellow had the right to study a text that hundreds of important scholars wanted, but were unable, even to have a look at. Five years again went by, and when the "edition" finally came out--twenty years after it had first been assigned to Freedman--it turned out to be a composite work written by several different people (compare Freedman's doctoral dissertation, "co-authored" with Frank Cross). It is impossible to figure out exactly which portions were written by Freedman, but at least on the surface it appears that he wrote only the first chapter (12 pages in length). Yet he is named as one of the book's two principal "authors." (Hopefully he wrote more than 12 pages of the Johns Hopkins dissertation.)
(I note in passing that several of Freedman's books have been published by Eisenbraun, Inc., located in Winona Lake, Indiana. Does that ring a bell? It should. Jim Eisenbraun, the founder of that company, received his M.Div. and Th.M. in Winona Lake, at... Grace Theological Seminary where Weston Fields is said to have taught.)
Recently, Freedman has again emerged as co-author, this time with San Diego-area resident Pam Fox Kuhlken. Their opus, 128 pages in length and published by Eerdmans (a Christian publishing company that specializes in a "variety of books suitable for all aspects of ministry"), presents the Qumran-Essene theory in a popular manner and is entitled alternatively So What’s Up With the Dead Sea Scrolls? and What Are the Dead Sea Scrolls and Why Do They Matter? Pam Fox Kuhlken received her B.A. at... Pepperdine University, and her Master's in theology (or is that an M.Div. like the one Robert Cargill got at Pepperdine?) at the evangelical Bethel Seminary. Among her other accomplishments, she is "a professor and co-founder with her husband, Ken, of Perelandra College, an online program whose mission is "to provide a community founded on Christian principles where creative people can grow in spirit and mind," etc. She also co-authored Wipe Out: a true story of winning with David Walden (aka "Chappy Dave"), who is the CEO of Mission on the Edge, a "non-profit Christian organization" whose "ministries" include an "inner-city Christian sober living facility for men," etc. A May 21, 2007 article explains that the release of What Are the Dead Sea Scrolls? was specifically designed to "coincide with the largest and longest exhibition of the Dead Sea Scrolls in world history." The article further explains that Kuhlken's "personal interest in the Dead Sea Scrolls stems from her lifelong love of the Bible... A progressive Christian, she describe[s] her unique views this way: 'I love God, I love Jesus, and I'm voting for Hillary.' Kuhlken's personal research into the scrolls includes several trips to the Israeli cave sites" (emphasis mine).
As for Pam's husband Ken, he is a talented author of mystery novels; together with Pam, he participated in a 2004 "Christian Writers Conference," where he headed a workshop on "Sheep in Wolves Clothing: Writing for the Secular Market." (Perhaps Ken should do a workshop for the San Diego museum and the various evangelical "bible scholars" mentioned in this article.)
A friend just directed me to your post on a website intending to "liberate news, debate it and examine it from a 360 degree viewpoint," so I know you will appreciate rounding out your views with a word from one of the primary sources (Dr. Kuhlken). At the risk of ascribing any sort of authority to the original blog, and fueling another Gadder report, I welcome respectful dialogue, and wish you would have contacted me directly for the facts, instead of mindreading or channeling our spirits (which seems to be the means behind these sorely researched posts). Information is easily found online, but wisdom and expertise are needed to find the truth (and having studied with Derrida at the University of CA, and after living in Berkeley for three years while studying for a Master's in Poetics in San Francisco, I understand and appreciate the volatile debates surrounding "truth").
Unfortunately, hasty conclusions in your post attribute entire ideologies to scholars based on (past) affiliations, some of which are incorrect. Short of being a Manchurian Candidate, I am unaware of being ideologically fed by the "Christian fundamentalists" you speak of. I have not met these caricatures (although I understand you write NEWS editorials). Keep me posted on where these "Christian fundamentalists ala Gadder" are lurking so I can avoid them, too, although the reason for this phobia is not exactly apparent. Maybe I'll just have to trust you on that one.
Schools grant scholars the freedom to think for themselves and not according to some unwritten dogma or platform as you suggest. Academic institutions are names on parchment, not branded on our intellects. Guilt by association is a weak allegation. Or because of my affiliations, am I the University of California? The University of Heidelberg? Anglo-American College in Prague? Perelandra? San Diego State University? Am I Berkeley or Prague or San Diego? According to your logic, yes. I hope you can appreciate that a person is far more complex and unknowable than an affiliation. Oh, and Dr. Freedman is closer to being an anarchist who believes in everyone's rights and freedoms (especially of thought!) and values privacy (of belief!) than "a Presbyterian" (another fiction). His last name means "Man of Peace" (Frieden+Mann). Is "Gadda's" etymology related to gadfly, renegade, or brigade)? Curiously, Gad appears for God (cf. egad) as early as 1598. Please have the courtesy not to disparage an accomplished, proven, respected man of peace. Question and dialogue, fine, but accuse? Why?
In WHAT ARE THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS AND WHY DO THEY MATTER? (Eerdmans 2007), Dr. Freedman and I present his expert views on the subject; I, alas, am no mindreader so I can speak for myself. I esteem this world-class scholar of 350 books about the Bible (as co-/author or co-/editor) and his invaluable insights into the Scrolls after 60 years of study. His record of publishing shows his belief in "360 degree" viewpoints; are you familiar with RIVERS OF PARADISE (ed. Freedman)?
You would be interested in the "Epilogue" to THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS DECEPTION because in 1991, Dr. Freedman convinced the director of the Huntington Library to "free the Scrolls, free the scholars," at which point, the "deception" charges were dismissed and the microfilm was made available for $10/copy. They received a total of...five requests for copies.
Dr. Freedman feels his greatest accomplishment is the folio of the LENINGRAD CODEX (the original is deteriorating in St. Petersberg); until the 2,000 year old Dead Sea Scrolls, the LC (1,000 CE) was the oldest, most complete extant Hebrew Bible. He pulled together an international, ecumenical team of experts and with patience and diplomacy, finished the project over 30 years.
I am sorry that not every willing Scrolls scholar was involved in the San Diego exhibit, but you should write the next DA VINCI CODE about this conspiracy to exclude any relevant, credible, respected scholar willing and able to collaborate internationally (with Jordan, Russia, and Israel) under very challenging circumstances.
I am also sorry that I don't have time to devote to blogs because of my responsibilities teaching, writing books, founding a college (www.perelandra.info), and raising a daughter. However, I wish you continued enjoyment with your exposes about bias and culture. You could certainly parse and attack every line of this message--I hope you will at least read it with an unbiased mind--please know that my time is limited and my priorities remain elsewhere, and Dr. Freedman does not use a computer. But I did want to contribute to the 360 degree view at least once.
And thank you for referencing our book on the Scrolls ("Any publicity is good publicity"?!). Give me an address and I'll send you a signed copy to burn or shelve or read. Shalom!
Dear Dr. Kuhlken,
Thank you for your cordial comment. Forgive me for "parsing" your statements, but I have no choice but to point out some of the problems involved in what you say. I do hope you will take some of your valuable time to read my reply, and please feel free to respond again.
(1) At the outset you deny that you are "ideologically fed" by Christian fundamentalists. Then, towards the end, you proudly announce that you have founded a "college." But you gloss over the Christian character of this "college" (which in fact, to me, seems to be no more than a website). I have quoted (and sourced) your college's mission, which, as stated on your website, is "to provide a community founded on Christian principles where creative people can grow in spirit and mind." You may not consider such an institution to be "fundamentalist," but it is certainly far from being a secular institution whose members search for the truth without invoking any type of pre-ordained religious belief. That you attempt to obscure this basic problem while accusing me of declaring "guilt by association," appears to indicate something about the level of your discourse.
(Parenthetically, allow me to suggest that some readers might not be particularly reassured by the fact that you "studied" with Jacques Derrida, a radical deconstructionist whose nihilistic declarations and analyses are to a large extent responsible for the arguably poor level of scholarship in literature departments around this country.)
(2) You say that "schools grant scholars the freedom to think for themselves and not according to some unwritten dogma or platform." Well, that depends on the school, doesn't it? Many of the "schools" I refer to in my article, including yours (which is by no means the worst of the lot) actually have written platforms, which I quote at length. Do these schools encourage scholars to think for themselves? Do scholars freely join these schools even if they disagree with their platforms? Do Jewish scholars teach at Pepperdine (where you studied), at the University of the Holy Land, and in other such places? You speak of my "suggestion" of unwritten dogmas or platforms, but I have sourced my findings at length and I don't need to resort to "suggestions."
Incidentally, I have also sourced the San Diego museum's platform, which defines its mission as being to "educate the public." And I have sourced the fact that David Noel Freedman is an ordained Presbyterian minister. He may not be fulfilling any ministerial duties today, but he remains an ordained minister, and your statement, without any supporting evidence, that this is a "fiction" is truly remarkable. Similarly, you say some of the sourced information I give regarding past affiliations is "incorrect." If any of the information is erroneous I'd be happy to correct it, but you just come out with this statement ex cathedra without giving any details or evidence to back it up. In the meantime, anyone can verify the info by following the links I've provided.
As for your point that past affiliations don't necessarily prove "guilt," I never said they did. My aim was obviously not to produce some kind of smoking gun, but to show a pattern, i.e., conjunctions of backgrounds, present circumstances, and actions that in their totality manifestly require some kind of explanation.
(3) You defend Freedman by referring to his work on the Leningrad Codex. Since you have raised the issue, perhaps you might address the question of how many Jews or agnostics were on the "ecumenical team of experts" that Freedman put together. One? Two? What is more, you speak as if I had denied that Freedman is a qualified biblical scholar. I did nothing of the kind. My concern is with his role in the world of Dead Sea Scrolls scholarship, which has nothing to do with the Leningrad Codex. Allow me to add that I have had a hard time finding anything "ecumenical" in the spirit of the present museum exhibit.
(4) You say you are "sorry that not every willing Scrolls scholar was involved in the San Diego exhibit." This is a smoke screen behind which you retreat to evade addressing the fact that the museum excluded all of the scholars who have concluded that the scrolls originated in Jerusalem and that no sect lived at Qumran. The AP, the New York Times and other news services have explained that scrolls scholarship is "polarized" between two different theories (Jerusalem and Qumran-Essene), and have described a "lack of consensus" in scrolls research on account of this fundamental disagreement. The Cambridge History of Judaism includes precisely two articles on scroll origins, written from the two different points of view. Your statement about "not every willing Scrolls scholar" being involved amounts to a cheap public relations pitch for the museum, when in fact this institution has chosen to mislead the public by inappropriately taking sides in a bitter and widening academic dispute. Not only do you not address this issue, but you also inexplicably refrain from speaking to the question of whether your co-author Dr. Freedman was himself involved in the decision to exclude the group of researchers who have created one of the two salient theories of scroll origins.
(5) Your remarks also include the assertion that it was Freedman who convinced the Huntington Library to release its photographs of the scrolls, citing as your source the "epilogue" to The Dead Sea Scrolls Deception by Michael Baigent — an ardent sensationalist who believes that the claimed descendants of Mary Magdalene are still alive and well in Europe. Although I prefer to use other more reliable sources, I am happy to agree that the collapse of the monopoly was a complicated process, and Freedman could well have had a finger in the pot. This, however, does not excuse his sitting on scrolls for years while other scholars were unable to see them. Nor does it excuse his failure to speak out concerning the present scandal. Has he argued for an inclusive exhibit? Has he suggested that the museum hold a public debate between proponents of the two salient theories? Has he had even a single word to say about this matter?
(As for the fact, if it is a fact, that only five copies of the Huntington photos were ordered, this is simply because by then other, equally "disapproved," facsimile editions, such as that of Abegg and Wacholder, were available for study. I will pass over this and other relatively minor misleading remarks you make here and there.)
In conclusion, I don't see how it would have helped for me to have contacted you "directly" regarding this affair. I don't need any delicate "writing for a secular audience" spin on the facts, faith statements and painfully obvious circumstances, all of which speak for themselves. If you would like to respond to the points I've raised in a straightforward manner, please do so. Perhaps, for example, you can explain why $100,000 was given to a graduate student, rather than a team of professional archaeologists, to make a "virtual reality" film that in the end turned out to contain interpretations and identifications (such as the imagined "scriptorium" of Qumran for which archaeologists were unable to find any evidence after ten years spent reexamining the site) that do not accurately portray current research in the field. Or perhaps you have some explanation for the false statement, made in writing back in January by Dr. Freedman's former student Risa Levitt Kohn, that she was a "Dead Sea Scrolls scholar." I'd be happy to discuss these or any other matters with you here on this page, for all to see and judge.
Ha, ha. Good exchange. Pam says "Dr. Freedman does not use a computer." Maybe Dr. Freedman can dictate his statement to her and she can post it here.
What I'd like to know is: 1) what are the circumstances of his conversion; 2) how does he feel about having been part of the monopoly (regrets? justifications?); and 3) did he (or does he) approve the exclusion of the Jerusalem theory scholars from this exhibit and what does he propose to do about it.
Surely all of this can be settled in an amicable manner--Gadda, Pam and Friedman can have lunch together, and Ken Kuhlken can write an article about it for the San Diego Reader.
In addition to all of the above, it has now come to my attention that Dr. Russell Fuller is described on the San Diego Natural History Museum's website as a "consultant" for the museum's Scrolls exhibit. Fuller received his degree at Harvard (Frank Cross) and he teaches in the department of "Theology and Religious Studies" at the University of San Diego, a "Roman Catholic institution" whose mission is to "express its Catholic identity by witnessing and probing the Christian message as proclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church." The University "promotes the intellectual exploration of religious faith, recruits persons and develops programs supporting the University's mission, and cultivates an active faith community."
On July 23, 2007, as part of the museum's "distinguished lecture series" accompanying its Scrolls exhibit, Dr. Fuller gave a lecture entitled "Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?" This, of course, is the title of the well-known book by Jewish historian Norman Golb, who, along with other proponents of the Jerusalem theory of scrolls origins, was excluded from participating in the museum's lecture series.
Dr. Fuller's lecture was sponsored by Point Loma Nazarene University, the "official university of the Southwest Educational Region of the Church of the Nazarene." Point Loma aims to become a "nationally prominent Christian university," and its mission is to "provide higher education in a vital Christian community where ... grace is foundational, truth is pursued, and holiness is a way of life."
If I am incapable of such holiness, allow me at least to pursue the truth. It is not surprising to learn that Dr. Fuller is a member of the Scrolls "editorial team" and, it goes almost without saying, a proponent of the Qumran-sectarian theory of scroll origins. The purpose of his creatively titled lecture, as announced on the museum's website, was to "examine the several competing theories" of scroll origins. At no point, of course, during the museum's lecture series will the public have the opportunity to hear from any of the rationalist, secular-minded, Jewish proponents of the Jerusalem theory, whose views were no doubt subjected to Dr. Fuller's "distinguished" examination.
The "ecumenical" team of devout Christians associated with the planning and content of this exhibit thus includes, at a minimum, Dr. Freedman, Dr. Fuller, Dr. Schniedewind, graduate student Robert Cargill and Holy Land "Dr." Weston Fields. One begins to wonder whether a single Jewish (let alone secular or agnostic) archaeologist or Dead Sea Scrolls scholar was involved in any way in the creation of this exhibit which, as I have pointed out before, was funded in part with money from Steven Spielberg's Holocaust fund. But, says Pam Fox Kuhlken of the Perelandra College, by raising this issue I have committed the sin of alleging "guilt by association."
To my dismay, I have discovered an inaccuracy in my description of Pam Fox Kuhlken, in that I said she had an M.A. from Pepperdine whereas in fact she only got her B.A. there. This mistake resulted from trying to digest the various (occasionally vague and not altogether consistent) statements put out about her on the internet. At any rate, I have now corrected the error and added some further information gleaned from statements she has made to the press (see the entry directly preceding her letter above), and I again invite to her to engage in a civil dialogue, here on this page, concerning the issues she evaded addressing in her letter, namely:
Was it appropriate for Freedman to monopolize the Leviticus scroll for 20 years while other scholars were not permitted to study it? Was it appropriate for him and the other Christian creators of this museum exhibit to exclude all of the scholars who have rejected the Qumran-Essene theory from the exhibit? Was it appropriate for the curator (Freedman's student) to describe herself as a "Dead Sea Scrolls scholar" and to declare (in her Voice of San Diego interview) that the Scrolls are not "Jewish" texts because they were written before the rabbinical period (as if she were ignorant of the term "intertestamentary Judaism")? Etc.
In an August 31 update, I reminded readers that the federal government is prosecuting the Holy Land Foundation. While indicating that there is obviously no connection between that (Islamic) organization and the "Holy Land" institutions described in this article, I nonetheless felt that the event served to remind us of the range of ideological motivations of people who choose such names for their organizations, and raised a question as to the judgment of someone who, like William Schniedewind, would serve on the board of advisors of such a place after receiving a Ph.D. from Brandeis University. The point here is that despite his doctoral work at Brandeis, Schniedewind has (apparently) retained at least some of the views that were (apparently) inculcated in him during his earlier education in Christian institutions.
Did Schniedewind, like Pam Fox Kuhlken, decide that the points raised in my article merited some kind of a reply? No. But did the article lead him to take some kind of action? Apparently yes, because his name has mysteriously disappeared from the University of the Holy Land website. Google's cached version of that site, however, is still available for all to see. I have modified the article accordingly, replacing the regular link with the cached version and adding the word "past" to clarify that Schniedewind is (or so at least it would seem) no longer affiliated with the University of the Holy Land.
But what I'd like to know is, why would someone go to such a fuss to have his name removed from the website of a "university" where he has taught and served as advisor? Surely Dr. Schniedewind isn't concerned about what his colleagues at UCLA would think about such a minor thing if word got out about it around campus? On the other hand, if he has had some kind of ideological break with the Holy Land crowd, why doesn't he just come out and say so? He could explain his position right here on this page, and add a few words concerning any role he may have played in the creation of the awe-inspiring museum exhibit taking place in San Diego. Or perhaps, despite the appearances, the removal of his name from the website is a pure coincidence, entirely unrelated to anything that has been said about the matter here. Surely he has nothing to fear from simply making a statement?
Please note: I now have a new piece out, in which I have neatly organized all the basic facts that my investigation has gradually uncovered.
For the sake of completeness, I here include one additional piece of information that I have also included in the new piece: In addition to all the other individuals mentioned above, it appears that Martin Abegg acted as consultant to the museum. Abegg is co-Director of the Dead Sea Scrolls Institute at Trinity Western University, a center of learning whose aim is to provide "Christ-centered, transformative educational experiences." The Institute's program states: "We believe that Evangelical Christian scholars should play a significant role in the study of the Dead Sea Scrolls." Perhaps Dr. Abegg can explain to us whether this statement implies that a Jewish perspective on the scrolls should be downplayed and excluded from museum exhibits.
In his other essay where he defames Christian scholars (http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/did-christian-agenda-lead-biased-dead-sea-scrolls-exhibit-san-diego), "Gadda" has now taken advantage of a moderator's closing of comments to modify his essay numerous times to remove the errors in which he was caught and to run off a tirade against Risa Levitt Kohn, the curator who did not invite Norman Golb to the San Diego exhibit's lecture series. Sorry "Gadda," you appear to have a tough time differentiating between masculine and feminine voices.
Anyway, since those comments were cut off and you lie again in your final comments, I thought I should point out your lie.
In this cached (http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:NoumHS9p8hcJ:community.discovery.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3601981278/m/8551980588+%22critical+reader%22+golb+yod+shin&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us) version of attacks by "Critical Reader" who everybody now knows is you, both in and out of Wikipedia, we find:
1. the usual promotion of Golb (Yale Grad is "Jessica Friedman" who is a Gadda character; here she is promoting Golb's article against the San Diego and other exhibitions just like "Gadda" usually does),
2. an appalling defense of Lewis with respect to Said's attack on scholarship by people of a different faith - something which appears to bother Gadda plenty when it's Christian scholars on Jewish topics ("Similarly, because of the influence of an outrageous, antisemitic book by Edward Said entitled "Orientalism" (which, in essence, is an attack against Bernard Lewis by a professor of English literature presenting himself as an authority on Islam), universities won't hire anyone to teach a course on Islam if the person doesn't come from the Middle East-- Said having "demonstrated" that prestigious Jewish scholars like Lewis merely impose a colonial vision on the Islamic world"),
3. and most importantly, the following "Critical reader" statement: "The fact of the matter is that anyone who reads Hebrew or Aramaic can look at the tracing they give for "Jesus" (Yeshua) and immediately see that the words "son of Yosef" are discernable towards the left, but the letters yod, shin, vav and ayin are nowhere to be found in the scrawled writing etched into the stone following the big X-like marking on the right."
This is relevant because we can track this statement to other sources.
1. This is G o o g l e's cache of http://www.challies.com/archives/i-typically-onl.php as retrieved on Oct 21, 2007 11:20:27 GMT. Here. "Charles Gadda" writes, without attributing the statement to anybody:
Anyone who reads Hebrew or Aramaic can easily verify that this is the case. Look at the tracing for the “Jesus son of Yosef” box on the Discovery Channel site and you will immediately see that the name “son of Yosef” is clearly discernable towards the left, but that the letters yod, shin, vav and ayin (Yeshua) are only (at best) by remote conjecture to be found in the scrawled writing etched into the stone following the big X-like marking on the right.
2. Compare that to this blog by a character called "We Demand a Neutral Scientific Exhibit" where you can see ("This is G o o g l e's cache of http://jesus-illegible.blogspot.com/2007/03/more-details-emerge-on-lost-tomb-scam_948.html as retrieved on Oct 5, 2007 15:01:08 GMT) "The name "son of Yehosef" is, to be sure, clearly discernible towards the left, but where are the letters yod, shin, vav and ayin of the name "Yeshua" to be found in the scrawled writing etched into the stone following the big X-like marking on the right?"
Now take a look at this blog: http://scrolls-in-san-diego.blogspot.com/ where the character, "We Demand a Neutral Scientific Exhibit," lists 22 scholars who should be invited to the San Diego exhibit and you will find Mason listed.
That's where I learned about him, as I did about so many of the other scholars listed there by Gadda such as Davies and Elior.
When you write to me in your "Christian Agenda" essay's comments "how else would you know so much about things like "Mason's ideas" (which I haven't even heard of)" you are clearly lying. You wrote a list and you knew enough about the field to list 22 scholars.
By the way, Steve Mason will be giving a response at a section in the SBL, just like Golb could have done instead of posting yet another article on a newspaper website.
I hope Now Public will finally realize that it's you doing the flaming and baiting in this series of articles, as well as lying and offering bigoted statements in the ugliest way imaginable.
B. Ralph here continues with the diatribes he began in the comments to a more recent article of mine, his aim clearly being to set up a smokescreen of lurid and titillating accusations that have nothing to do with the issues I have raised in any of my pieces. His method of interaction is by now clear; it consists in "ignoring the main elements in a debate and concentrating on irrelevant items and then banging on about them ad nauseam" (see the View from Number 80 blog).
Why doesn't Mr. Ralph just come out and say that he doesn't believe there ought to be a free debate at the San Diego Natural History Museum among scholars of radically opposing views? See the New York Times and Associated Press articles describing a polarization of scrolls studies between two different theories; the Cambridge History of Judaism featuring precisely those two theories; and, again, my response to B. Ralph and the museum in the update to my other article, where I have pointed out how similar his argument is to the exhibit curator's obscurantist suggestion that the public should not be "confused with so many competing theories."
In sum, I see no reason to respond to the chain of irrelevant assertions contained in B. Ralph's comment, which once again seem to reveal the author's slightly unhealthy obsession with the "promotion" of historian Norman Golb more than anything else (see, again, the rational evaluation of B. Ralph's earlier diatribes on the View from Number 80 blog).
I will say, however, that it is interesting to see him referring to "an appalling defense of [Bernard] Lewis with respect to [Edward] Said's attack on scholarship by people of a different faith." Bernard Lewis is generally considered to be one of the most important living historians of Islam, and he happens to be Jewish. In his statement, B. Ralph appears to be defending the post-modernist Palestinian critic Edward Said, a professor in the English department at Columbia University who catapaulted himself to fame by publishing a book-length attack on Lewis — and, by implication, on all non-muslim historians of Islam — under the title "Orientalism." (Cf. Jim West's defense of Nadia Abu El-Haj, one of Said's followers, discussed in my other article.) What I gather from this is that B. Ralph — thereby indicating once again that he is far more than the disinterested spectator he claims to be — is trying to insinuate that Christian (and hence "non-Jewish") historians of the Jews have, according to me, somehow proven themselves to have a colonial incapacity to understand Judaism. Readers can judge whether I have suggested anything of the kind, or whether this is another lurid accusation intended to distract them from the basic issues I have raised about the ideology and exclusionary tactics of the creators of the San Diego museum exhibit.
Don't suppose there's a chance in hell "This One Trick Dog and Pony Show" is going to be out to rest? Let's move onto another story, this one has had a good run, and is turing into a friggin novel of biblical proportions. Its Good Stuff Charles, but now it may be time to let this story Archive gracefully.
I tend to agree with you, but I also feel obliged to respond to the museum's messengers: a paradox of sorts. Anyway, thanks for your message.
OOOOOkkaaaayyyyyyyyyy, guess you're not crazy about having good old Ned FLanders photo on your site I take it?
That's alright, I got the point. What I would like would be a cartoon showing a number of scholars (or Ned Flanders and Kramer) fighting over a manuscript until it gets ripped in two, something of the sort...
Are you done modifying and modifying, "Gadda?" I don't have the patience any longer to follow all of your changes but it is telling that you try to change your essays and comments to adjust for what I've written. My comments are unchanged, as I hope the readers here will notice.
You no longer intend to respond to me? Too bad, because my research is not finished. It remains unclear what your motive is and your anonymity is a hindrance in my research. This campaign, I believe, is somehow connected to Norman Golb or his theories because this essay and the others on Now Public are part of an ongoing internet campaign supporting Golb and attacking others who seem to share only one common link: a perception of being Golb's opponents. The difference in treatment that San Diego and Seattle have received in contrast with Kansas which was the only site to invite him, is a big clue as well.
One reading of all this is that "Gadda" is reading and using Golb's materials as a resource without any direct connection to Golb. "Gadda" could be a big fan of Golb or an amateur Scrolls fan who wants to support his pet theory aggressively. This is plausible. In earlier days of this campaign, when "Gadda" was less cautious, his focus was entirely on Norman Golb. The use of the supporting cast (the two living archaeologists, the deceased one and the living Jewish Thought specialist) seems to have grown out of a need to eliminate Golb and try to make this a case of science against religion (in other words, Golb is a "rationalist" who deals in real history and science but all the others named in these essays are not). Going back as far as I can find records of this campaign, almost every single comment, blog or essay (and there have been hundreds probably) ever posted in this campaign by any of the numerous "Gadda" "characters" or "friends" has either contained a mention of Golb, a link to a Golb article or has linked to an essay or blog containing links or mentions of Golb and his articles. There has been, as far as I can recall, only one instance where other scholars received a link to their article. If there are more examples of this happening, it is a small percentage. The comments and essays have also almost always contained harsh attacks on institutions and people.
In "Gadda's" last comment in this discussion, he attempted to deny his link to "Critical Reader" and "We Demand a Neutral Scientific Exhibit" (he has changed the comment since then to remove the denial). When he denied it, I went back and took a second look at "We Demand a Neutral Scientific Exhibit." I found plenty of examples and what may be the earliest post in this campaign (to my knowledge)! A "Raphael" who posted on August 16, 2006 on a practicing Christian scholar's blog where he (