Books

'The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Jewish Origins of Christianity', Carsten Theide

Reviewed by Anthony Cappello

Contents - Nov 2001 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Synod of Oceania document imminent - 'Ecclesia in Oceania' - Peter Westmore Tenth Synod of Bishops: Bishops called to courageous witness to the Faith - AD2000 News: The Church Around the World A young Catholic's views on the state of the Church in Australia - James Connolly Brisbane liturgy director calls Vatican document "a betrayal" - Michael Gilchrist Pastoral letter: Taking up John Paul II's concerns about the Sacrament of Penance - Archbishop Barry J. Hickey Cardinal Ratzinger's latest book-interview - 'God and the World' - Zenit News Service Winter school: Evangelising in a "post-pagan" culture - Fr Anthony Mastroeni Opinion: Catholics before and after Vatican II: separating fact from myth - John Young Letters: Forgotten teachings - Fr John Speekman Letters: Catholic women - Errol P. Duke Letters: Immigration policy - George F. Simpson Letters: Classification Guidelines - Mrs Carol V. Phillips Letters: A response on the Creation of Man - Gerry Keane Letters: Catholic teaching - John Schmid Letters: St Thomas Aquinas - Valentine Gallagher Obituary: Lew Bennett R.I.P. Books: 'The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Jewish Origins of Christianity', Carsten Theide - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) 'Those Terrible Middle Ages', by Règine Pernoud - Christopher Quinn (reviewer) Books: My Dear Young Friends: Pope John Paul II Speaks to Teens on Life, Love, Courage - Mary-Jane Donnellan (reviewer) Books: 'Pardon And Peace: A Sinner's Guide to Confession', by Fr Francis Randolph - Christopher Quinn (reviewer) Tapes: Thomas More Center Brisbane Winter School, July 2001 Books: 'The Glenstal Book Of Prayer: A Benedictine Prayer Book - Mary-Jane Donnellan (reviewer) Books: 'STICKY THE DOG', by Robert Wheeler - Catherine Sheehan (reviewer) Bookstore: New Titles from AD Books Reflection: All Souls Day and a Christian response to bereavement - Fr Dennis W. Byrnes PP

New book on Dead Sea Scrolls lends support to historicity of the Gospels

THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
and the Jewish Origins of Christianity
by Carsten Peter Theide
(Lion Paperback, 2000, 256pp, $24.95. Available from AD Books)

The Dead Sea Scrolls, a new book by well known and respected papyrologist, Carsten Peter Thiede, could possibly become one of the most authoritative books on the subject.

He is currently Professor of New Testament History and Papyrology at a Swiss university, and teaches at the Department of International Studies at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.

Thiede's earlier title, The Jesus Papyrus, argued for the historical Jesus as He is presented in the Gospels. This he demonstrated by research that presented the historicity of the gospels. In this volume, Theide - using microscopic analysis on the scrolls - reveals previously undetected texts. One of the undetected texts is a fragment from the Gospel of Mark.

The Dead Sea Scrolls have been attributed to the Essenes, a semi-monastic Jewish sect that lived in the Galilean wilderness during the period 150BC-68AD. Since the discovery of the scrolls, various theories have emerged on their relationship with Christianity. Some have also argued that the delay in translating the scrolls was due to a Catholic cover-up, as the scrolls would undermine traditional Christianity.

Theide, however, maintains the Jewish origins of the scrolls, while identifying a fragment of Mark's Gospel which leads to the tradition that Mark's Gospel was in circulation well before 70AD.

As in many of his other works, Theide maintains the historicity of the Gospels, while introducing new and fascinating material. In this volume Theide provides a balanced and informative understanding of the Dead Sea Scrolls and of the Jewish origins of Christianity. The scrolls, he says, "invite us to develop a new awareness of our roots."

Anthony Cappello is a research assistant for the Thomas More Centre.

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 14 No 10 (November 2001), p. 16