The Importance of Dead Sea Scrolls Discovery To Christianity Essay Paper
The Importance of Dead Sea Scrolls Discovery To Christianity Essay Paper
How important was the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls for Christianity?
INSTRUCTIONS: Your Reflection Paper is to be between 500-750 words in length (about 1-2 pages) following MLA format and submitted as a Microsoft Word compatible document (.doc or .docx). If you cite source material, include a Works Cited page, but do not include the Works Cited in the total requirement for the assignment The Importance of Dead Sea Scrolls Discovery To Christianity Essay Paper.
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The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in caves close to the Dead Sea back in the 1940s and 50s. The prevailing belief at the time until today after analysis were dine is that these scrolls were written between the 2nd century BCE and the 1st century CE (Collins 451)The Importance of Dead Sea Scrolls Discovery To Christianity Essay Paper. Contained within these texts were of religious, literary, and historical nature and they were immediately determined to be especially important for Christianity. While the discovery of these scrolls was beneficial, it nonetheless elicited debates among literary critics and religious leaders and professionals at the time. Guided by this, the aim of this report is to conduct an exploration of the several ways in which the discovery impacted Christianity.
Firstly, the discovery provided scholars with an improved understanding of the history of Judaism in particular its development during the Second Temple Period. In these scrolls, a wealth of details relating to the beliefs and practices of Essenes are provided. This ethnic group resided in close proximity to the Dead Sea and having access to this information provided scholars with valuable information about the context n which Christianity emerged and flourished (Anava 1226)The Importance of Dead Sea Scrolls Discovery To Christianity Essay Paper. Contained within the Dead Sea Scrolls are texts that are similar to those found in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament. The books of Isaiah, Deuteronomy and the Psalms are examples of these. It has been argued by scholars that the discovery of some of the contents in these scrolls gave credence to the idea that the Bible was more stable in its initial years and was less prone to changes. Following this, scholars in the realms of religion and other disciplines such as theology increased their efforts in examining how the Bible was compiled over the centuries.
Secondly, the discovery provided scholars with an improved perspective of the Jewish diversity and thought during the Second Temple period (Collins 449). There are many texts included in the scroll that are not part of the Hebrew Bible used today. Examples of these are the books of Enoch and the War Scroll. What the presence of these diverse books intimated is that the Jewish thought was diverse and the Essenes, especially, were notable different from the other groups. The discovery also led to a reevaluation of the way Christians perceive the New Testament in the Bible (Anava 1222)The Importance of Dead Sea Scrolls Discovery To Christianity Essay Paper. For instance, there was evident similarity between the Community Rule practice among the Essenes and the way the early church was organized.
The unearthing of the scrolls was significant for the Christian community because of its provision to scholars with a vast amount of information about the history and progression of Judaism during the Second Temple period. Needless to say, these manuscripts brought to light the diversity of Jewish beliefs during that era motivating a fresh review and analysis of the way the Hebrew Bible was compiled and revised over the years. Moreover, these scrolls influenced the New Testament interpretation which ultimately led to a re-evaluation of how the early Christians were affected by Jewish ideology and traditions. The discovery of the scrolls has ultimately broadened Christians’ comprehension of the religious and cultural setting in which Christianity evolved, offering a renewed perspective on the evolution of Judaism and Christianity during this crucial epoch in history The Importance of Dead Sea Scrolls Discovery To Christianity Essay Paper.
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Works Cited
Anava, Sarit, et al. “Illuminating genetic mysteries of the dead sea scrolls.” Cell 181.6 (2020): 1218-1231.
Collins, John J. “A Contested Field: Half a Century of Study of Second Temple Judaism.” Journal for the Study of Judaism 50.4-5 (2019): 437-459 The Importance of Dead Sea Scrolls Discovery To Christianity Essay Paper