Biblical Hebrew Forum

["K Randolph" <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Christopher:
Depends on which circles you run in.

On Dec 19, 2007 6:30 PM, Christopher Kimball <transcriber AT tanach.us> wrote:

>
> Rev. Bryant J. Williams wrote:
>
> "The main reasons for the lack of scholars for not recognizing the puns in
> much
> of the Tanakh especially the Torah of Moses is the adherence to the
> discredited
> JEDP theory of Graf-Wellhausen, anti-Semitism and theology [...] ."
>
> >From James L. Kugel, How to read the Bible, ISBN-13: 978-0-7432-3586-0,
> 2007, p 42:
>
>  .... But today, it must be conceded, the majority of biblical scholars
>  in American and European universities are convinced by the idea of the
>  Pentateuch's multiple authorship.  Even if no absolute proof exists,
>  they say, some theory of different authors is the most logical and
>  parsimonius way to make sense of the evidence. ...
>
> I don't know if the "JEDP theory of Graf-Wellhausen" has obstructed pun
> recognition
> but it certainly hasn't been "discredited".
>
>
> Chris Kimball
> West Redding, CT


In some circles this multiple authors theory is a laughing stock. Other
circles swear by it. Each group looks at different data to back up their
view. And of the data that both groups share, each group interprets it
differently. That theory goes far beyond just multiple authors for Torah, it
includes multiple authors for Isaiah, late dating of books such as Daniel
and Ecclesiastes, etc.

I'm a member of a group that laughs at the "foolishness" of that theory, but
I've decided not to be offended when others support it, nor will I offend
others who believe it by ridiculing it. However, I will defend the single
author theory if pushed. I define "pushed" when people try to proselytize
for that view. Most of the time I let it go without comment.

This B-Hebrew group is made up of members of many groups with varying
beliefs, we have made an agreement not to proselytize for our beliefs as a
condition for our membership in this group. After all, we still can learn
from each other and discuss areas of common agreement.

As for "…the majority of biblical scholars in American and European
universities…" that is a long, involved, off-topic subject that even to
mention it is a combined red-herring and ad populum argument (except it is
part of your quote) that I won't mention further (unless pushed).

Peace       :-)

Karl W. Randolph.