It is the world's most widely read and revered book, regarded as the Word of God by the faithful and a fascinating historical document by scholars. But what are the facts behind the creation of this immortal text? This series chronicles new scientific research and theological insight into the origin of the Holy Scriptures. Leading Biblical experts journey back to the land and the times of the Bible's very creation to probe its most profound mysteries. Who Wrote the Bible would be useful for classes on Ancient History, Cultural History, Western Civilization, Religion, Literature and Judaism. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

Part I

Part I examines the history and mysteries of the Old Testament. Focusing on the Pentateuch, or the first five books of Moses, scholars try to unravel the story of the creation of the Bible and try to determine the actual process by which the Bible was written.

• addendum
• annihilate
• bequeath
• canonized
• compilation
• conjecture
• deviate
• disparity
• ecclesiastical
• edict
• evocative
• inadvertently
• obscurity
• omnipotent
• pacifist
• papyrus
• perennial
• pious
• sacrosanct
• schism
• statute
• theologian
• verbatim

1. Over half of the world's population can trace their religious and cultural roots to the Bible. Discuss how the Bible can be considered the basis of Western Civilization.

2. Most scholars agree that the Bible is not one, great, long story. How is the Bible most likely a type of library or product of a thousand-year community?

3. Because religion and faith are sensitive issues, studying the Bible can present problems. Discuss some of the issues faced by Biblical scholars.

4. What is the Pentateuch? Why does scholarly investigation focus on this portion of the Bible?

5. The discovery of The Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 was one of the greatest ancient discoveries of all times. How did the discovery of the scrolls contribute to and advance the scholarly study of the Bible?

6. Discuss some of the contradictions present in the first five books of the Bible that cause numerous debates among scholars.

7. Questioning the authorship of the Bible has always been fraught with danger. Why was this so? How did some who questioned the Bible suffer the consequences?

8. What is the origin of the name Jehovah?

9. What is the Documentary Hypothesis? Discuss how this hypothesis raises questions about the authorship of the Bible.

10. How and why did the Kingdom of Israel split?

11. How and why does the first translation of the Bible into another language take place?

12. How did the Bible come to be called the Bible?

1. Chose your favorite Biblical story or passage and, using the medium of your choice, create a visual representation that illustrates the story.

2. Imagine that you are a reporter investigating the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947. With the help of a classmate, friend or relative, conduct an interview with a Biblical scholar to reveal the meaning of the discovery to the study of the Bible.

3. Imagine that you are living in the period when the Bible was written. Write an essay in which you describe your life and your daily routine.

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