We all know how Scientific Creationism folks wanted what they considered a Bible-based alternative to the scientific theory of evolution. Well, now there is “Pro-Bible Archaeology.”
That’s right. The Trumpet magazine’s sponsor is launching a:
*brand-new project: the Armstrong-Mazar Institute of Biblical Archaeology. This is aimed at promoting this exciting and important field of science, particularly in the land of Israel. The resources we are putting into supporting archaeological activities in Jerusalem that prove the Bible is a reliable source of history are about to increase.*
Well, sometimes archaeology supports the Bible and sometimes it does not. It’s not the job of archelogy to find what isn’t there. But I’m sure these folks can come up with some remains of slaughtered Canaanite families. Just look at the relic cult.
This actually is quite old, it is just that archaeology has moved further and further away from accepting the Bible as utterly reliable for more recent events. Then scholars of the Bible and historians use archaeological findings to try to understand the Bible and the history of the ancient Levant.
I can’t help but think of the late Ron Wyatt. At best, he was a delusional eccentric who claimed to have found almost every important Biblical artefact in history, from the Ark of the Covenant to Noah’s Ark.
The Bible is an authentic ancient near eastern compilation, and is quite useful archaeologically. Anti-Bible archaeology is not sound. But trying to “prove the Bible is a reliable source of history” can easily bias one into misinterpretation, even if one is not operating entirely on imagination like Wyatt.
Well, sometimes archaeology supports the Bible and sometimes it does not. Sometimes it’s unrecoverable. But it sure beats the Book of Mormon, where there is zero archaeological support.
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Klax
(The only thing that matters is faith expressed in love.)
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