Philip R. Davies
Encyclopedia
Philip R. Davies is a biblical scholar with interests in Early Judaism
, History of Ancient Israel
, and the Dead Sea Scrolls
. Davies has been labeled a biblical minimalist and associated with the Copenhagen School
. He also has an interest in the development of secular scholarship and contemporary cultural issues, as illustrated in his book "Whose Bible Is It Anyway?".
Davies has a degree from Oxford
(1967) and a doctorate from the University of St. Andrews (1972). His doctoral thesis was on 1QM, the War Scroll
from Qumran. He received an appointment at the University of Sheffield
in 1974, where he has remained, eventually becoming Research Professor of Biblical Studies. He was a co-founder of Sheffield Academic Press
.
Davies has been a provocative writer on biblical subjects, often questioning fundamental assumptions regarding what is known about various biblical issues. His brief book In Search Of "Ancient Israel" poses the idea that the ancient notion of Israel referred to at least three separate entities, a tribal formation at the time of Merneptah, the kingdom of the house of Omri and a later idealized version that united Omride
Israel and Judah, thus putting into question the notion of the "united kingdom" and the structure of the biblical narrative. One of the book's conclusions: "On the basis of the biblical and non-biblical data, the social conditions appropriate for the emergence of the biblical Israel appear to be found in Persian period Yehud." Many of his suggestions in this book have subsequently come to be accepted as normative, even by some of his most vociferous critics such as the biblical archaeologist William Dever, as Davies showed in his review of two of Dever's own recent publications ( ‘Crypto-Minimalism’, Journal of Semitic Studies 50 (2005), pp. 117–136).
A Festschrift has been produced marking his 65th birthday: In Search of Philip R. Davies: Whose Festschrift Is It Anyway?, D. Burns and J. W. Rogerson (eds) (London and New York: T. & T. Clark, 2010) ISBN 0567027171
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, History of Ancient Israel
History of ancient Israel and Judah
Israel and Judah were related Iron Age kingdoms of ancient Palestine. The earliest known reference to the name Israel in archaeological records is in the Merneptah stele, an Egyptian record of c. 1209 BCE. By the 9th century BCE the Kingdom of Israel had emerged as an important local power before...
, and the Dead Sea Scrolls
Dead Sea scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 972 texts from the Hebrew Bible and extra-biblical documents found between 1947 and 1956 on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name...
. Davies has been labeled a biblical minimalist and associated with the Copenhagen School
The Copenhagen School (theology)
Biblical minimalism is a term used by its detractors to refer to a tendency in biblical exegesis which stresses a heavily skeptical approach to archaeological evidence when establishing the history of Ancient Israel and Judah...
. He also has an interest in the development of secular scholarship and contemporary cultural issues, as illustrated in his book "Whose Bible Is It Anyway?".
Davies has a degree from Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
(1967) and a doctorate from the University of St. Andrews (1972). His doctoral thesis was on 1QM, the War Scroll
War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness
The War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness is a manual for military organization and strategy that was discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is also known by the names "War Rule", "Rule of War", and "War Scroll". The manuscript was among the scrolls from Qumran Cave 1 acquired by...
from Qumran. He received an appointment at the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
in 1974, where he has remained, eventually becoming Research Professor of Biblical Studies. He was a co-founder of Sheffield Academic Press
Sheffield Academic Press
Sheffield Academic Press was an academic imprint, particularly highly regarded for publications in the fields of biblical studies and religious studies, based at the University of Sheffield. It was launched in the mid-1980s, co-founded by biblical scholars Philip R. Davies and David J. A. Clines....
.
Davies has been a provocative writer on biblical subjects, often questioning fundamental assumptions regarding what is known about various biblical issues. His brief book In Search Of "Ancient Israel" poses the idea that the ancient notion of Israel referred to at least three separate entities, a tribal formation at the time of Merneptah, the kingdom of the house of Omri and a later idealized version that united Omride
Omrides
The term Omrides or the House of Omri refers to Omri and his descendants , who were according to the Bible, as well as a number of other archaeological remains, kings of ancient Israel....
Israel and Judah, thus putting into question the notion of the "united kingdom" and the structure of the biblical narrative. One of the book's conclusions: "On the basis of the biblical and non-biblical data, the social conditions appropriate for the emergence of the biblical Israel appear to be found in Persian period Yehud." Many of his suggestions in this book have subsequently come to be accepted as normative, even by some of his most vociferous critics such as the biblical archaeologist William Dever, as Davies showed in his review of two of Dever's own recent publications ( ‘Crypto-Minimalism’, Journal of Semitic Studies 50 (2005), pp. 117–136).
A Festschrift has been produced marking his 65th birthday: In Search of Philip R. Davies: Whose Festschrift Is It Anyway?, D. Burns and J. W. Rogerson (eds) (London and New York: T. & T. Clark, 2010) ISBN 0567027171
Works
- Whose Bible Is It Anyway? (London and New York: T. & T. Clark Publishers, Ltd. 2004) ISBN 0567080730
- The Complete World of the Dead Sea Scrolls, written with George J. Brooke, Phillip R. Callaway (London: Thames & Hudson, June 2002) ISBN 0500051119
- Copper Scroll Studies edited with George J. Brooke (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2002) ISBN 0826460550
- Scribes and Schools (Westminster John Knox, 1998) ISBN 0664227287
- In Search Of "Ancient Israel" (London and New York: T. & T. Clark Publishers, Ltd. 1992) ISBN 0567080994
- The Damascus Covenant (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1982) ISBN 0905774515
- 1QM, the War Scroll from Qumran: Its Structure and History (Rome: Biblical Institute Press, 1977)
- Cities of the Biblical World: Qumran (Cambridge: Lutterworth, 1982)
- Daniel (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1985)
External links
- Are There Ethics in the Hebrew Bible? (2009)
- Whose Bible? Anyone's? (2009)
- Biblical History and Cultural Memory (2009)
- Do We Need Biblical Scholars? (2005)
- Final Comments on Minimalism (2003)
- Minimalism, "Ancient Israel," and Anti-Semitism
- The Origin of Biblical Israel
- Abstract: The Judaism of the Damascus Sect
- Some of the essays from his festschrift have been made available by T & T Clark.