The Documentary Hypothesis - an introduction

The Documentary Hypothesis (DH) is a scholarly framework that seeks to explain the compilation of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible -- Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) as an editing together of several disparate sources, generally known as J, E, D, and P.

This framework specifically contradicts the traditional conservative view that Moses was the author of the Pentateuch.
The DH is based on textual analysis of the Pentateuch, and as such is inherently independent of other lines of evidence often considered in Biblical studies. It should be noted that other lines of evidence, such as archaeological evidence, are consilient with the DH.

The DH may eliminate Moses as the author of the Torah. Some even argue that no one has ever found a book that followed one of these separations (A book of J, for example) but we do not have the originals of any book in the Bible and little to no knowledge of who wrote most of it. Therefore, I see this as a non-issue. It does solve many other problems scholars and skeptics have with the Old Testament, such as, the apparent contradictions, doublets and triplets, and the many places where the time line of events gets muddled up. For a Christian the good outweighs the bad because when the Torah is separated into J, E, P, and D documents all of these doublets, triplets, contradictions, errors, and time line issues go away. That's a pretty powerful argument for a Christian with an open mind.

What does it matter (doctrinally) if Moses wrote the Torah or not? Does that really change anything? The DH doesn't make any claims for or against the supernatural in the scriptures nor does it make any claims for or against the veracity of the scriptures.

Music - Tryad / Witness
Photography - Andy Ilachinski

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Jesus
• Christianity
• bible
• torah
• pentateuch
• documentary
• hypothesis
• moses
• redacted
• priest
• yawhist

[Inqoinf]

JSmetalSatch... I read up on Gleason Archer and the man has had very little published in the last 25 years and most of what he did publish is based on, now, out of date information. The guy was brilliant in his day but just as modern technology makes the abacus useless so does modern history and archaeology makes much of Archer's writings obsolete. If this is the best opponent of the DH you can find... a 35 year old opinion... Sheesh... that's as bad as creation science...

[allsaintsmonastery]

It would be an interesting video if the goofy music did not totally distract from the text.

[EgoNamahaNemoRex]

After studying the DH at McGill I was an atheist within a year.

[JohnWoo]

@medoelkorsan It doesn't solve the problem but it's a step forward, because it debunked the misconceptions involving the way the bible was written.

I'm not sure if you understand how academics work. When we invented the microscope and saw micro-organisms that we haven't seen before it also "increased the problems", when we invented the telescope and saw all the new galaxies it raised more questions and "increased the problem". Do you see where this is going?

[VeritasTruthEmet]

Great video, its very helpful to assist those of us who are trying to teach others the DH to have this resource available. Also, great music, I just bought the CD on iTunes. This song is addictive!

[gmdinformation]

@Youlube32,

I haven't got that one yet, but it's on my list!

[Youlube32]

@gmdinformation I just started reading the Bible with Sources Revealed and I am loving it!!!

[Youlube32]

Well they have certainly got the right idea. What's the point of actually doing research if you aren't gonna be honest about your findings?

[Inqoinf]

@Youlube32, lol you are probably right... i'm actually amazed at how progressive Catholics and Episcopalians are.