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Re: consensus
>1. The Qumran community was an Essene Community
>2. The Scrolls were written by or copied by these Essenes
>3. The sect was an eschatological community secluded in the desert awaiting
>the last war between the sons of light and the sons of darkness.
>4. The sect followed the "Righteous Teacher" alone.
>5. The inhabitants of Qumran were attacked and killed by the approaching
>Roman army (in 68 CE).
>
>Again, if you agree or disagree, please cite some further source so that I
>can investigate it myself.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Jim West
>etc.
Dear Jim,
You are unlikely to find consensus on points 1 &2, although I personally
happen to agree with them.
I would like to point out, however, that as much as scholars debate the
interpretation of the DSS and Qumran and the Essenes, we have more evidence
about them than about nearly any other event, person, text or belief in
Ancient Israel. So if there is no consensus on Qumran (according to the
canons of academic historical inquiry), then there is no SUPPORTABLE
consensus on Ancient Israel (according to the canons of academic
historical inquiry).
Paul
Paul V. M. Flesher
Religious Studies
University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY 82071-3353