Andrew Lawler has written for newsletters, newspapers and magazines about topics such as astronomy and zoology. He has been a Washington reporter covering Capitol Hill and the White House and a Boston correspondent for a science magazine writing about universities. Currently, he is freelancing from his home in the woods of Maine.
What drew you to this story? Can you describe its genesis a bit?
It all began with a toilet. A Smithsonian editor asked me about the recent find of what one archaeologist claimed was a latrine at Qumran. Next thing I knew, I was bumping across the Judean hills in a jeep. But as with everything involving this site, there is no agreement on whether there was an indoor loo!
What was your favorite moment during your reporting?
Climbing around the rocks just above Qumran and tracing its little aqueduct, with the Dead Sea and the tourists far below, all was serenely quiet. It could have been two thousand years ago. I have a good job.
What was the most surprising thing you learned about Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls?
Perfectly pleasant and reasonable scholars can quickly lose their heads over Qumran. There is so much animosity among researchers about the scrolls and the place where they were found. I find such deep-seated animosity rare in most other areas of archaeology.
What do you hope readers take away from this story?
Qumran is a mirror. How we interpret it tells us so much about who we are, what we believe and how we navigate the intersection of science and faith.
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Comments (2)
Mr Lawler like so many before him who call themselves historians, speaks about a subject of which his knowledge is very limited. When I read and article which refers to all Israel as “The Jews” its evident that the writer of that article missed the boat somewhere as its stated in the book of Exodus several times by our Father (exa. 3:18) that he is the God of the Hebrews. As to who wrote the scrolls, well that is documented throughout biblical history. The scribes who worked for the Levites who were in charge of the temple, wrote the scrolls. Since the temple had been sacked and destroyed initially by Nebuchadnezzar, its perfectly logical to understand that there would have been duplicate copies of the scrolls from that point foreword. The scribes became polluted over time, with Christ identifying the sons of Cain being among the scribes, and the priests (John 8). Concerning the text which describe rituals of the temple, Christ addressed that issue in Mark 7 when the Pharisees and Scribes asked him why the disciples ate bread with unwashed hands. In that same book of Mark, Christ calls the Scribes and Pharisees “hoop-ok-ree-tace” (an actor playing a false part), a Hypocrite. As to the location of the scrolls, they lie exactly where a true biblical student of the house of Israel would have expected them to be located (East). Further their location and assembly indicates exactly why they were placed in that location. The scrolls are exactly East of Jerusalem and they are one days travel from Jerusalem. Further, they were in the caves which is the same place Lot hid when Sodom was destroyed. All of these things are a Loud and clear voice to one who studies and understands the genealogy of ethhaadam, the Hebrews who proceeded from him, the promise given to Abraham, the declaration of Isaac as the seed called, and the final protection of the scrolls of the temple.
Posted by Jeffery Sikes on April 9,2013 | 05:19 AM
Thanks for a most interesting article. I will be visiting Israel in the fall and hope to visit this area for myself.
Posted by Debra LObel on January 13,2010 | 06:09 PM