Difference between revisions of "William F. Albright" - New World Encyclopedia

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A prolific author, his major works include ''[[Yahweh]] and the Gods of Canaan,'' ''The Archaeology of Palestine: From the Stone Age to Christianity,'' and ''The Biblical Period from [[Abraham]] to [[Ezra]]''. He also edited the [[Anchor Bible Series|Anchor Bible]] volumes on [[Jeremiah]], [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]], and [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]].
 
A prolific author, his major works include ''[[Yahweh]] and the Gods of Canaan,'' ''The Archaeology of Palestine: From the Stone Age to Christianity,'' and ''The Biblical Period from [[Abraham]] to [[Ezra]]''. He also edited the [[Anchor Bible Series|Anchor Bible]] volumes on [[Jeremiah]], [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]], and [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]].
  
== Influence and legacy ==
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==Legacy ==
Albright's publication in the Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 1932, of his excavations of Tell Bir Mirsim, and further descriptions of the Bronze Age and Iron Age layers of the site in 1938 and 1943, marked a major contribution to the professional dating of sites based on ceramic typologies, one which is still in use today with only minor changes. "With this work, Albright made [[Palestinian archaeology]] into a science, instead of what it had formerly been: a digging in which the details are more or less well-described in an indifferent chronological framework which is as general as possible and often wildly wrong." <ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5221/is_2005/ai_n19142063/pg_3 G.E. Wright, quoted in UXL Newsmakers, at Findarticles.com]</ref>
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Throughout his life Albright was honored with numerous awards, honorary doctorates, and medals, and was given the title "Worthy One of Jerusalem" - the first time the award had been given to a non-Jew. After his death, his legacy continued as a large number of scholars, inspired by his work, became specialists in the areas Albright had pioneered. The [[American Schools of Oriental Research]] is now known as the [[Albright Institute of Archaeological Research]], in honor of Albright's exceptional contributions to the field.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5221/is_2005/ai_n19142063/pg_3 UXL Newsmakers, at Findarticles.com]</ref>
  
As editor of the Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research between 1931 and 1968, Albright exercised deep influence over both biblical scholarship and Palestinian archaeology, an influence further extended by his prolific writing and publishing (over 1,100 books and articles).<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5221/is_2005/ai_n19142063/pg_3 UXL Newsmakers, at Findarticles.com]</ref> Albright used this influence to advocate "biblical archaeology," in which the archaeologist's task is seen as being "to illuminate, to understand, and, in their greatest excesses, to "prove" the bible."<ref>[http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0021-6682%28199501%2F04%292%3A85%3A3%2F4%3C464%3C.E.%22ADAB%3E2.0.CO%3B2-N&size=LARGE&origin=JSTOR-enlargePage Lynn Tatum, review of William G. Dever "Recent Archaeological Discoveries and Biblical Research," The Jewish Quarterly Review, New Ser., Vol. 85, No. 3/4 (Jan. - Apr., 1995), pp. 464-466], at JSTOR</ref>. In this Albright's American Evangelical upbringing was clearly apparent. He insisted, for example, that "as a whole, the picture in [[Genesis]] is historical, and there is no reason to doubt the general accuracy of the biographical details" (i.e. of figures such as [[Abraham]]). Similarly he claimed that archaeology had proved the essential historicity of the book of [[Exodus]], and the conquest of [[Canaan]] as described in the [[book of Joshua]] and the [[book of Judges]]. Nothing today is left of this approach amongst mainstream archaeologists: "His central theses have all been overturned, partly by further advances in Biblical criticism, but mostly by the continuing archaeological research of younger Americans and Israelis to whom he himself gave encouragement and momentum...The irony is that, in the long run, it will have been the newer "secular" archaeology that contributed the most to Biblical studies, not "Biblical archaeology."<ref>William Dever, "What Remains of the House that Albright Built?" The Biblical Archaeologist, Vol. 56, No. 1 (Mar., 1993)</ref>
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 +
The American archaeologist William Dever contributed to the article "Archaeology" in The Anchor Bible Dictionary (see Anchor Bible Series). There he assessed several negative effects of the close relationship that has existed between Syro-Palestinian archaeology and the Biblical archaeology of the Holy Land, which have especially caused American archaeologists in this field to lag behind the new "processual archaeology" in the region, generally considered: "Underlying much of the skepticism in our own field [about the adaptation of the concepts and methods of the "new archaeology"], one suspects, was the assumption (albeit unspoken, or even unconscious) that ancient Palestine, especially Israel in the biblical period, was unique—somehow 'superhistorical' not governed by the normal principles of cultural evolution," and he claims "...the 'new archaeology' of the 1970s-1980s became passé before we had even caught up with it" [2](p 357).
 +
 
 +
Dever finds that Syro-Palestinian archaeology in American institutions has been treated as a subdiscipline of Biblical studies. American archaeologists in this region were expected to try "to provide historical validation for episodes in the biblical tradition." According to Dever, "[t]he most naïve [misconception about Syro-Palestinian archaeology] is that the rationale and purpose of "biblical archaeology" (and, by extrapolation, Syro-Palestinian archaeology) is simply to elucidate the Bible, or the lands of the Bible" [3](p 358)
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 +
Professor of Near Eastern Archaeology, William G. Dever writes:
 +
 
 +
Until about a generation ago Biblical achaeologists spoke confidently about William Foxwell Albright's "archaeological revolution". It would assuredly enhance our understanding and appreciation of the Bible and its timeless message-which was thought to be absolutely essential to our cherished Western culture condition. The Bible and the "Christian West," as formerly conceived, are fighting for their lives. Not only has modern archaeology not helped to confirm the earlier tradition, it appears to some to be part of the process to undermine it. This is a not-so-well kept secret among professional archaeologists.
 +
 
 +
The failure of the "archaeological revolution" means tryng to occupy the beleaguered middle ground, neither extreme skeptics or naive credulists. The clock cannot be turned back to the time when archaeology allegedly "proved the Bible." Archaeology as it is practiced today must be able to challenge, as well as confirm, the Bible stories. Some things described there really did happen, but others did not. The Biblical narratives about Abraham, Moses, Joshua and Solomon probably reflect some historical memories of people and places, but the "larger than life" portraits of the Bible are unrealistic and contradicted by the archaeological evidence. Some of Israel's ancestors probably did come out of Egyptian slavery, but there was no military conquest of Canaan, and many, if not most, of the Israelites throughout the Monarchy were polytheists. Monotheism may have been an ideal of Bible writers. Archaeology cannot not decide what the supposed events described in the Bible mean. That decision is left up to each individual. Archaeology cannot decide this question; it can only sharpen our focus.[4](Dever, 2006)
 +
 
 +
 
 +
Nothing today is left of this approach amongst mainstream archaeologists: "His central theses have all been overturned, partly by further advances in Biblical criticism, but mostly by the continuing archaeological research of younger Americans and Israelis to whom he himself gave encouragement and momentum...The irony is that, in the long run, it will have been the newer "secular" archaeology that contributed the most to Biblical studies, not "Biblical archaeology."<ref>William Dever, "What Remains of the House that Albright Built?" The Biblical Archaeologist, Vol. 56, No. 1 (Mar., 1993)</ref>
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==

Revision as of 21:24, 27 October 2008

William Foxwell Albright (May 24, 1891–September 19/September 20, 1971) was an American archaeologist, biblical scholar, linguist and expert on ceramics. From the early twentieth century until his death, he was the dean of biblical archaeologists and the universally acknowledged founder of the Biblical archaeology movement. His student George Ernest Wright followed in his footsteps as the leader of that movement, while others, notably Frank Moore Cross and David Noel Freedman, became international leaders in the study of the Bible and the ancient Near East, including Northwest Semitic epigraphy and paleography. Albright is assured of a place in the history of the development of Middle Eastern archaeology. http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/William_F._Albright

Biography

File:DSC00209.JPG
Tumulus 2, excavated by W.F. Albright in 1923. His excavation trench is still visible at the top of the structure.

Albright was born in Coquimbo, Chile, the eldest of six children of Amercian evangelical Methodist missionaries Wilbur Finley and Zephine Viola Foxwell Albright. He married Dr. Ruth Norton in 1921 and had four sons. He received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1916 and took a professorship there in 1927, remaining as W. W. Spence Professor of Semitic Languages from 1930 to his retirement in 1958. He was also the Director of the American School of Oriental Research in Jerusalem, 1922-1929, 1933-1936, and did important archaeological work at such sites in Palestine as Gibeah (Tell el-Fûl, 1922) and Tell Beit Mirsim (1933-1936).

Albright made his scholarly reputation as the leading theorist and practitioner of biblical archaeology, defined as the branch of archaeology that sheds light upon "the social and political structure, the religious concepts and practices and other human activities and relationships that are found in the Bible or pertain to peoples mentioned in the Bible."[1]

Despite his focus the archeology of the Bible, however, Albright was not a biblical literalist. In Yahweh and the Gods of Canaan, for example, he expressed the view that the religion of the Israelites had evolved from Canaanite polytheism into a the biblical monotheism that saw God acting in history through the Jews as His "chosen people." He accepted the basic idea of the documentary hypothesis and the mainstream opinions of the preceding two centuries of biblical criticism: namely, that the Bible is comprised of various literary sources, each with its own theological view and agenda. [2] However, unlike some later bible critics, held that archaeology confirmed the basic historicity of the Bible and its characters such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, and David, as well as the events in which they participated.

Although primarily a biblical archaeologist, Albright also made contributions in many other fields of Near Eastern studies. For example, his paper titled "New Light from Egypt on the Chronology and History of Israel and Judah," established that Shoshenq I - the Biblical Shishak - came to power somewhere between 945 and 940 B.C.E.

A prolific author, his major works include Yahweh and the Gods of Canaan, The Archaeology of Palestine: From the Stone Age to Christianity, and The Biblical Period from Abraham to Ezra. He also edited the Anchor Bible volumes on Jeremiah, Matthew, and Revelation.

Legacy

Throughout his life Albright was honored with numerous awards, honorary doctorates, and medals, and was given the title "Worthy One of Jerusalem" - the first time the award had been given to a non-Jew. After his death, his legacy continued as a large number of scholars, inspired by his work, became specialists in the areas Albright had pioneered. The American Schools of Oriental Research is now known as the Albright Institute of Archaeological Research, in honor of Albright's exceptional contributions to the field.[3]


The American archaeologist William Dever contributed to the article "Archaeology" in The Anchor Bible Dictionary (see Anchor Bible Series). There he assessed several negative effects of the close relationship that has existed between Syro-Palestinian archaeology and the Biblical archaeology of the Holy Land, which have especially caused American archaeologists in this field to lag behind the new "processual archaeology" in the region, generally considered: "Underlying much of the skepticism in our own field [about the adaptation of the concepts and methods of the "new archaeology"], one suspects, was the assumption (albeit unspoken, or even unconscious) that ancient Palestine, especially Israel in the biblical period, was unique—somehow 'superhistorical' not governed by the normal principles of cultural evolution," and he claims "...the 'new archaeology' of the 1970s-1980s became passé before we had even caught up with it" [2](p 357).

Dever finds that Syro-Palestinian archaeology in American institutions has been treated as a subdiscipline of Biblical studies. American archaeologists in this region were expected to try "to provide historical validation for episodes in the biblical tradition." According to Dever, "[t]he most naïve [misconception about Syro-Palestinian archaeology] is that the rationale and purpose of "biblical archaeology" (and, by extrapolation, Syro-Palestinian archaeology) is simply to elucidate the Bible, or the lands of the Bible" [3](p 358)

Professor of Near Eastern Archaeology, William G. Dever writes:

Until about a generation ago Biblical achaeologists spoke confidently about William Foxwell Albright's "archaeological revolution". It would assuredly enhance our understanding and appreciation of the Bible and its timeless message-which was thought to be absolutely essential to our cherished Western culture condition. The Bible and the "Christian West," as formerly conceived, are fighting for their lives. Not only has modern archaeology not helped to confirm the earlier tradition, it appears to some to be part of the process to undermine it. This is a not-so-well kept secret among professional archaeologists.

The failure of the "archaeological revolution" means tryng to occupy the beleaguered middle ground, neither extreme skeptics or naive credulists. The clock cannot be turned back to the time when archaeology allegedly "proved the Bible." Archaeology as it is practiced today must be able to challenge, as well as confirm, the Bible stories. Some things described there really did happen, but others did not. The Biblical narratives about Abraham, Moses, Joshua and Solomon probably reflect some historical memories of people and places, but the "larger than life" portraits of the Bible are unrealistic and contradicted by the archaeological evidence. Some of Israel's ancestors probably did come out of Egyptian slavery, but there was no military conquest of Canaan, and many, if not most, of the Israelites throughout the Monarchy were polytheists. Monotheism may have been an ideal of Bible writers. Archaeology cannot not decide what the supposed events described in the Bible mean. That decision is left up to each individual. Archaeology cannot decide this question; it can only sharpen our focus.[4](Dever, 2006)


Nothing today is left of this approach amongst mainstream archaeologists: "His central theses have all been overturned, partly by further advances in Biblical criticism, but mostly by the continuing archaeological research of younger Americans and Israelis to whom he himself gave encouragement and momentum...The irony is that, in the long run, it will have been the newer "secular" archaeology that contributed the most to Biblical studies, not "Biblical archaeology."[4]

Notes

See also

  • Biblical archaeology

Bibliography

Major books and articles by Albright

  • Yahweh and the Gods of Canaan: An Historical Analysis of Two Contrasting Faiths,
  • The Archaeology of Palestine: From the Stone Age to Christianity
  • The Biblical Period from Abraham to Ezra
  • Albright, William F. (1923). Interesting finds in tumuli near Jerusalem. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 10 (April): 1–3.

Biographies and other works about Albright

  • Davis, Thomas W. Shifting Sands: the Rise and Fall of Biblical Archaeology, New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.ISBN 0-19-516710-4
  • Long, Burke O. Planting and Reaping Albright: Politics, Ideology, and Interpreting the Bible, University Park, Pa.: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1997. ISBN 0-271-01576-4
  • Running, Leona G., and Freedman, David Noel. William Foxwell Albright: A Twentieth-Century Genius, Berrien Springs, Mich.: Andrews University Press, 1991, c1975. ISBN 0-8467-0071-9
  • Feinman, Peter D. William Foxwell Albright and the Origins of Biblical Archaeology, Berrien Springs, Mich.: Andrews University Press, 2004. ISBN 1-883925-40-1
  • Freedman, David Noel; MacDonald, Robert B.; Mattson, Daniel L. The Published Works of William Foxwell Albright: A Comprehensive Bibliography, Cambridge, Mass.: American Schools of Oriental Research, 1975. ISBN None
  • Van Beek, Gus W. The Scholarship of William Foxwell Albright: An Appraisal, Atlanta, Ga.: Scholars Press, 1989. ISBN 1-55540-314-X ("Papers delivered at the Symposium 'Homage to William Foxwell Albright', the American Friends of the Israel Exploration Society, Rockville, Maryland, 1984.")

Other works

  • Elliott, Mark. Biblical Interpretation Using Archeological Evidence, 1900-1930, Lewiston, N.Y.: E. Mellen Press, 2002. ISBN 0-7734-7146-4
  • Finkelstein, Israel and Silberman, Neil Asher. The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of its Sacred Texts, The Free Press, a division of Simon and Schuster, 2001. ISBN 0-684-86912-8
  • Grena, G.M. LMLK—A Mystery Belonging to the King vol. 1, Redondo Beach, Calif.: 4000 Years of Writing History, 2004. ISBN 0-9748786-0-X

External links

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