Earthly Thoughts be Silent Now

As a means of relaxation and stress reduction, I find that reading the work of Bart Ehrman is just the ticket. Ehrman is a prolific scholar of Christianity and Christian Literature. In one of his early books, he describes the way most non-fundamentalist Christian seminaries approach the text of the New Testament. They study it critically. They contextualize its history. They analyze the language of the text to make sure there are not hidden misunderstandings. And then something strange happens. When the ordained seminarian ascends his/her pulpit to preach the word, it is as if they never heard of this historical/critical approach. God in His Holy Temple. Earthly thoughts be silent now. They have turned their backs on the seminary. Such a transformation is not limited to Christians. That is my experience in the synagogue today.

The Search for the Sacred Scroll series relies on the historical/critical approach to Biblical studies. Hiding behind the daunting label: The Documentary Hypothesis, the Bible is revealed to be a library of literature, written by persons with agendas. These agendas promote certain religious beliefs and perspectives and are not shy about excluding others.

So, what was the agenda behind the Five Books of Moses, i.e. the Torah? The Torah’s purpose was to prevent a second exile. In the view of the biblical authors, idolatry and disloyalty to the God of Abraham were the causes of exile for both Israel and Judah. The ten northern tribes never returned from exile. They just disappeared. The release of the Judeans from Babylonian captivity alone did not ensure their continued existence or security. They needed a common story, a shared understanding of their relationship to their God. That is what the Torah would give them. They would have to invent their story first. Search for the Sacred Scroll tells us how it may have happened.