The Documentary Hypothesis in the 21st Century

Discussion about the Hebrew Bible, Septuagint, pseudepigrapha, Philo, Josephus, Talmud, Dead Sea Scrolls, archaeology, etc.
Post Reply
nili
Posts: 116
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 1:02 pm

The Documentary Hypothesis in the 21st Century

Post by nili »

I've noticed a number of instances where someone attributes a pericope, a verse, or even a phrase to the {J|E|D|P|R}-source with an almost casual certainty. What is the current status of the Documentary Hypothesis?

Thank you.
User avatar
Peter Kirby
Site Admin
Posts: 8015
Joined: Fri Oct 04, 2013 2:13 pm
Location: Santa Clara
Contact:

Re: The Documentary Hypothesis in the 21st Century

Post by Peter Kirby »

Good question. I wonder about this too.
"... almost every critical biblical position was earlier advanced by skeptics." - Raymond Brown
Krupin
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2014 9:38 am

Re: The Documentary Hypothesis in the 21st Century

Post by Krupin »

The documentary hypothesis is dead
nili
Posts: 116
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 1:02 pm

Re: The Documentary Hypothesis in the 21st Century

Post by nili »

Krupin wrote:The documentary hypothesis is dead
So too, apparently, is the practice of offering well considered and substantiated claims.
Krupin
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2014 9:38 am

Re: The Documentary Hypothesis in the 21st Century

Post by Krupin »

I have an excellent counter-hypothesis
nili
Posts: 116
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 1:02 pm

Re: The Documentary Hypothesis in the 21st Century

Post by nili »

Krupin wrote:I have an excellent counter-hypothesis
Thank you, Krupin. Clearly something so excellent deserves a thread of its own.
Krupin
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2014 9:38 am

Re: The Documentary Hypothesis in the 21st Century

Post by Krupin »

Do not rush to laugh. It took me four years to understand the origin of the Torah.
Krupin
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2014 9:38 am

Re: The Documentary Hypothesis in the 21st Century

Post by Krupin »

My articles in Russian:
https://www.proza.ru/avtor/krupinsj
semiopen
Posts: 471
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2014 6:27 pm

Re: The Documentary Hypothesis in the 21st Century

Post by semiopen »

My sense is that the DH is in some technical trouble.

The main DH supporters are typically Jewish scholars that seem to be getting old. Personally, I'm not aware of a whole lot of younger adherents.

There is at least one Richard Elliot Friedman Passover thread from a year or two ago. That recounts the absurd theory that the Levites were the only tribe involved in the Exodus. Granted Dr. Friedman is getting old and the theory itself seems mostly designed to promote an interesting discussion at the Seder table. Still waiting for the book to come out.

My impression is that the DH is more or less caught between Jewish religious observance and academia, and at the moment it seems tilted to the right of mainstream academic understanding.

At least they don't think that Moses wrote the Torah.
Krupin
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2014 9:38 am

Re: The Documentary Hypothesis in the 21st Century

Post by Krupin »

Documentary hypothesis is ridiculous Initially. Say, the pope decided to combine the four gospels into one gospel. Do Christians recognize this book as sacred?
Post Reply