Professor Sidnie White Crawford (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) summarises the latest scholarship on the Qumran library of 800-900 fragmentary manuscripts from the mid-third century BCE to the late first century CE, and the history of the sect responsible for the collection and its scribal/learned characteristics. Her public lecture was delivered on January 25, 2018, on the occasion of receiving a D.Theol honoris causa from the University of Uppsala.
Dead Sea Scrolls
Philip Davies on Dead Sea Scrolls and Historicity of Hebrew Bible
The Bible Odyssey website provides four videos in which the late Professor Emeritus Philip Davies (1945-2018) discussed the importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls for Judaism and biblical scholarship, and the non-historicity of Kings David and Solomon.
1. Philip R. Davies on the Dead Sea Scrolls and the plurality within early Judaism.
2. Philip R. Davies on how the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls has affected biblical scholarship
3. Philip R. Davies on whether Solomon and David existed.
4. Philip R. Davies on what the Tel Dan inscription may or may not say.
Peter Flint on the Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament
The late African biblical scholar Dr. Peter Flint delivers a lecture introducing the Dead Sea Scrolls and their relevance for understanding the New Testament, on January 16, 2012 at El Shaddai Ministries, Tacoma, WA.
Re-Imagining the Scriptural Past in the Dead Sea Scrolls: TWU Dead Sea Scrolls Institute
On February 23, 2016, the Trinity Western University (TWU) Dead Sea Scrolls Institute hosted a series of talks on the Dead Sea Scrolls, “Re-Imagining the Scriptural Past in the Dead Sea Scrolls”.
The Dead Sea Scrolls provide fresh perspective on both the words of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and ancient Jewish world of the New Testament. As the library of a specialized Jewish scribal community, they also reveal how ancient people and communities rendered their religious traditions relevant to their own culture. Many readers of the Bible today face this same task: scripture is at once ancient and sacred, yet its contemporary relevance is not always evident. Through presentations and discussions with four TWU alumni and authors of recently published books on the Dead Sea Scrolls, our evening will explore how the group that penned and preserved the scrolls navigated this dynamic in their own search for meaning. Join authors Dr. Andrew Perrin, Dr. Kipp Davis, Dr. Marvin Miller, Dr. Dongshin Chang, and Dr. Peter Flint as they detail how ancient writers encountered and innovated the biblical past by extending prophecy, claiming revelatory dreams, rethinking covenant theology, and crafting and circulating letters.
Dr. Peter Flint – The Dead Sea Scrolls: What Can They Teach Us?
Dr. Peter Flint (Canada Research Chair in Dead Sea Scrolls Studies at Trinity Western University) provides a fresh introduction to the Qumran texts and archaeology in light of his recently published book “The Dead Sea Scrolls” (Abingdon, 2013).
Dr. Andrew Perrin – History Revealed: The Eras of Empires in Daniel and Beyond
Dr. Andrew Perrin (Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Trinity Western University) explores the rewriting of apocalyptic history in the book of Daniel and ancient Judaism in light of his recently published book “The Dynamics of Dream-Vision Revelation in the Aramaic Dead Sea Scrolls” (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2015).
Dr. Kipp Davis – Forging Reputations of National Icons: Chuck Norris and the Prophet Jeremiah
Dr. Kipp Davis (Scholar in Residence at Trinity Western University) details the cultural and literary development of famed figures today and in antiquity, with an eye to the prophet Jeremiah’s life beyond the Bible. A detailed treatment of the Jeremiah traditions in the Dead Sea Scrolls may be found in his recently published book “The Cave 4 Apocryphon of Jeremiah and the Qumran Jeremianic Traditions: Prophetic Persona and the Construction of Community Identity” (Brill, 2014).
Lawrence H. Schiffman: Scholars, Scrolls, and Scandals – Judaism, Christianity and the Dead Sea Scrolls
Lawrence Schiffman provides an introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls, televised on University of California Television (UCTV), sponsored by the Herman P. and Sophia Taubman Foundation Endowed Symposia in Jewish Studies.
The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls has revolutionized our picture of the early history of Judaism and of the Jewish background of early Christianity. With the completion of the publication of the entire scrolls collection, it is now possible to draw significant conclusions from this treasure trove of ancient documents. This illustrated lecture by Professor Lawrence Schiffman will discuss the discovery of the scrolls, the archaeology of Qumran where the scrolls were unearthed, the nature of the library, and its significance for the study of Judaism, Christianity and their common destiny.
Daniel Fleming – “Ancient Israel”: An Introduction to the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible
Professor Daniel Fleming, of New York University, presents an introductory course on the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible called “Ancient Israel“, which is available to view on 27 videos (on YouTube).
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56:47For additional class materials, see the course page at New York University.
Michael Satlow – From Israelite to Jew
Professor Michael Satlow, of Brown University, offers a complete set of lectures on early Judaism (recorded 2011), available for free download on iTunes. The course, “From Israelite to Jew” covers the exile, return from exile, Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman periods, including Philo, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the destruction of the Temple.
Name Description Released Price
Episode 1 – Between Faith and Reason–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 2 – The Religion of Israel–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 3 – Exile–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 4 – Return–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 5 – Ezra–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
The Hedgehog, the Fox, and the Talmud–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 6 – The Torah–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 7 – Nehemiah–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 8 – Jews of the Persian Empire–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 9 – Hellenism Arrives–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 10 – Jubilees and 1 Enoch–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 11 – The Revolt of the Maccabees–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 12 – The Hasmonean Kings–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 13 – Origins of Jewish Sectarianism–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 14 – Hellenistic Judaism–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 15 – Herod the Great–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 16 – Philo–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 17 – The Dead Sea Scrolls–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 18 – Jesus and Other Strange Jews–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 19 – Josephus–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 20 – The First Century–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 21 – Destruction–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Episode 22 – After the Destruction: A Beginning or an End?–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes
Professor Michael L. Satlow specializes in Early Judaism and has written extensively on issues of gender, sexuality, and marriage among Jews in antiquity, as well as on the Dead Sea scrolls, Jewish theology, methodology in Religious Studies, and the social history of Jews during the rabbinic period. His latest book is entitled Creating Judaism.
Geza Vermes on the Dead Sea Scrolls
The following is a talk by Geza Vermes on ‘The Story of the Dead Sea Scrolls’.
The Story of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a lecture presented by Professor Geza Vermes at Louisiana State University’s Hill Memorial Library on September 29, 2009. Geza Vermes was born at Mako in Hungary in 1924. He studied in Budapest and in Louvain (Belgium), where he read Theology and Oriental history and languages, and in 1953 obtained a doctorate with a dissertation on the historical framework of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Beyond Belief: Radio 4 Episodes
The Radio 4 series, Beyond Belief can be downloaded as mp3s, and many of the episodes are relevant for biblical studies.
One biblical studies contribution is from Francesca Stavrakopoulou covering the history of ‘biblical archaeology’, historicity, and the Dead Sea Scrolls and the historical Jesus. There is also further discussion about archaeology in relation to contemporary political issues, particularly those involving Christian Zionism, Israel and Palestine.
InscriptiFact: Ancient Near Eastern Inscriptions
InscriptiFact provides free online access to high-quality images of Ancient Near Eastern inscriptions, care of the West Semitic Research Project, “an academic project affiliated with the University of Southern California School of Religion and directed by Dr. Bruce Zuckerman”.
The site includes “Dead Sea Scrolls; cuneiform tablets from Mesopotamia and Canaan; papyri from Egypt; inscriptions on stone from Jordan, Lebanon and Cyprus; Hebrew, Aramaic, Ammonite and Edomite inscriptions on a variety of hard media (e.g., clay sherds, copper, semi-precious stones, jar handles); and Egyptian scarabs”, and Ugaritic tablets.
In order to use the site, users must download the viewer software and send an application for a username and password by facsimile to Marilyn Lundberg on (001) (310) 541-2361.
John J. Collins on a Biography of the Dead Sea Scrolls
John J. Collins’ lecture ‘The Dead Sea Scrolls: a Biography’, given at Yale Divinity School (October 24, 2013) is available on YouTube and uploaded by Yale Divinity School. The lecture covers the history of Scrolls scholarship and and the content and context of the Scrolls themselves.
The Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library
The Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library provides high-quality digital images of thousands of Dead Sea Scrolls, made available by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).
The Scrolls are searchable by site (Qumran caves (by number), Wadi Murabba’at, Nahal Hever, Wadi Daliyeh, Masada), language (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Nabatean), or genre of text (biblical, parabiblical, poetic/liturgic, sectarian, Babatha’s archive). In addition, a search-bar allows searches by keyword.
Ultimately, the images will be accompanied by meta-data including transcriptions, translations and detailed bibliography.
Biblical Studies Online 