Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Jonathan D. Safren" <yonsaf AT beitberl.beitberl.ac.il>]

Bryan Rocine wrote:

> Dr. Barre,
>
> Sir, I write to you here not as a colleague in discussion but as a
> moderator of the b-hebrew e-mail forum.  You seem to have the wrong idea
> for the purposes of this list. Please do not use this forum to create
> controversy and crisis as several of your posts seem intent on doing.  For
> instance, there are many learned people of faith on this list who will find
> your first two sentences shown below condescending and offensive.  Also,
> you dismiss one, probably several(you are unclear), entire disciplines of
> scholarly effort as "the American based emperical,
> linguistic-archaeological school of biblical interpretation (eg. Albright)"
> which "beclouds" your position.  As one of the lists moderators I judge
> your posts to be of a provocative rather than scholarly and helpful.
> Please refrain from this type of post in the future.
>
> If you have questions as to the mission of b-hebrew or the execution of
> that mission, you may want to simply observe for a while.  Another option
> is to send a post to me first for approval before sending it to the list.
>
> Bryan Rocine
> B-Hebrew Chairman
>
> ----------
> > From: Lloyd Barre <barre AT c-zone.net>
> > To: Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> > Subject: Assaulting an Impasse
> > Date: Friday, January 15, 1999 12:24 AM
> >
> > Dear List members:
> >
> > Many or perhaps most members on this list know there a deep, learned
> > skepticism prevails with regard to our historical knowledge of
> > pre-monarchic "Israel."  These days very few are willing to commit to
> > historical reconstructions regarding the eras of the patriarchs, the
> > exodus, the wanderings, the "conquest," or even for the so-called ear of
> > the Judges.
>
> ---

I didn't see the rest of lloyd Barre's posting, so I don't know if there was 
anything
offensive there or not  But the section quoted above seems to me to reflect 
much of
current scholarly opinion. I need only mention Keith Whitelam's _The 
Invwention of
Ancient Israel_, or the writings of Frederick Cryer, and others.
I may not agree with their theses, but they have a perfect right to express 
them on a
scholarly discussion list such as this. Denying the historicity of the ancient
Israelite traditions may offend people of faith. but then so did Galileo's 
claim that
the Earth revolved around the sun. Such claims are proved or disproved by 
further
investigation and/or scholarly discussion, not by fiat.
And as I live in a country where "People of faith" have increasing control 
over
government and society (and even archaeological excavations), I do not like 
to read
about suspending membership in a scholarly fiscussion group because of holding
unorthodox (or un-Orthodox) opinions. I hope that it is not because of the 
section of
Barre's letter cited above that he is being suspended. If it is, I would like 
to be
unsubscribed. Please clarify.
Sincerely,
Jonathan D. Safren
Dept. of Biblical Studies
Beit Berl College
Beit Berl Post Office 44905
Israel