Paper Summary:

In this article, a contemporary examination of John Bright's "A History of Israel" reveals significant deficiencies of methodology, as confirmed by recent archaeological "revelations". The writer contends that these discoveries should not impugn the content of Bright's work; rather, his history should be viewed strictly as a religious (and as such, not fact-based) history.

From the Paper:

"An authoritative history of the Old Testament such as John Bright's 'A History of Israel' must ironically proceed on a degree of faith. This naturally undermines the intent of the work from the outset which is ostensibly to authenticate patriarchal traditions by providing them with a historical basis. Bright, in accepting most Biblical accounts as realities-including the covenant at Sinai, ancient Old Testament claims to monotheism and the Genesis rendering of a personal relation between the individual and his God ultimately masquerades religious dogma as serious history. Bright's thick ... "

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