| The Historicity of the Patriarchal Narratives: The Quest for the Historical Abraham Contributor(s): Thompson, Thomas L. (Author) |
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ISBN: 1563383896 ISBN-13: 9781563383892 Publisher: Trinity Press International OUR PRICE: $59.35 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: November 2002 Annotation: Archaeology seems to have become an active partner in the attempt to prove the historical truth of the Bible. Biblical archaeologists have gone to the field in search of Noah's ark or the walls of Jericho, as if the finding of these artifacts would make the events of scripture somehow more true or real. Thomas Thompson is one of the most vocal contemporary critics of biblical archaeology. His simple but powerful thesis is that archaeology cannot be used in the service of the Bible. Focusing on the patriarchal narratives-the stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob-he demonstrates that archaeological research simply cannot historically substantiate these stories. Going further, Thompson says that archaeological materials should never be dated or evaluated on the basis of written texts. Looking to the patriarchal narratives in Genesis, he concludes that these stories are neither historical nor were they intended to be historical. Instead, these narratives are written as expressions of Israel's relationship to God. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Religion | Biblical Criticism & Interpretation - Old Testament |
| Dewey: 222.110 |
| LCCN: 2002069578 |
| Physical Information: 0.97" H x 6.1" W x 8.96" (1.44 lbs) 404 pages |
| Themes: - Theometrics - Academic - Religious Orientation - Christian |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Archaeology seems to have become an active partner in the attempt to prove the historical truth of the Bible. Biblical archaeologists have gone to the field in search of Noah's ark or the walls of Jericho, as if the finding of these artifacts would make the events of scripture somehow more true or real. Thomas Thompson is one of the most vocal contemporary critics of biblical archaeology. His simple but powerful thesis is that archaeology cannot be used in the service of the Bible. Focusing on the patriarchal narratives-the stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob-he demonstrates that archaeological research simply cannot historically substantiate these stories. Going further, Thompson says that archaeological materials should never be dated or evaluated on the basis of written texts. Looking to the patriarchal narratives in Genesis, he concludes that these stories are neither historical nor were they intended to be historical. Instead, these narratives are written as expressions of Israel's relationship to God. Thomas L. Thompson is Professor of Old Testament, University of Copenhagen. His books include The Mythic Past and The Early History of the Israelite People. |
