A new BBC podcast in their “Intrigue” series, called Word of God, deserves a listen – while critical of some Christian use of archaeology it also provides some useful lessons from which we can all learn.
It concerns the Museum of the Bible, in the USA. I have never been, and though the podcast highlights problems in its development, my enthusiasm to pay a visit sometime has not been dampened.
Opened in 2017, the museum quickly became an impressive repository for a range of artefacts related to Biblical history. As a beneficiary of financial backing from the owners of American craft store Hobby Lobby, it has been able to spend large sums acquiring significant items.
Constructing and equipping the museum is estimated to have cost half a billion dollars. This wealth enabled acquisition of rare manuscripts, early Bibles, Dead Sea Scroll fragments and inscribed cuneiform tablets. The Green family, owners of Hobby Lobby, are described in the BBC press release as part of “a growing movement” that “seeks to restore the nation’s foundations – with the Bible as their blueprint”. Inevitably, the BBC makes this sound like a somewhat sinister agenda.
Dodgy dealings
The podcast follows the story of an expert in ancient papyri, Roberta Mazza, who uncovered a trade in stolen artefacts using popular online marketplaces. This investigation led her to identify illicit objects that had found their way into the collection of the Museum of the Bible. Some had been stolen from museums and universities; others were forged, including purported Dead Sea Scrolls. All of this was certainly embarrassing to the museum and makes for a gripping story as the BBC follows the trail.
Nightmare at the museums
Museums are going through a difficult time. The pushback against cultural appropriation has led many to reconsider their collections. The British Museum have returned some items to their country of origin. There is a significant campaign to have the “Parthenon Sculptures” (formerly known as the Elgin Marbles) returned to Greece. Today, most developed countries exercise a policy of keeping artefacts in the land of their origin. Archaeological excavations are strictly controlled by these rules and have moved away from the era of treasure hunting.
Discoveries made in the UK, whether in your own garden, on public ground or metal detecting in a field, are governed by the Portable Antiquities Scheme that ensures major discoveries can belong to the nation rather than disappearing into private collections. In the mix are fakes and forgeries. Even the British Museum displays a crystal skull that had been thought to be a pre-Columban American artefact but is now known to be a modern forgery. The museum continues to display it as an object lesson.
Repairing a reputation
The BBC podcast reveals a catalogue of errors, but they are hardly unique to the Museum of the Bible. Perhaps in the rush to populate a museum they acted in haste to acquire items without more careful scrutiny. President of Hobby Lobby, Steve Green, has not hidden their failings, admitting “the criticism resulting from my mistakes are justified.”
The Museum of the Bible has done more than many national institutions to deal with its failings. It has returned stolen artefacts and removed fakes from display. There is certainly a cautionary tale from the BBC regarding treasure hunting and evangelism, but the Museum of the Bible has also offered a witness in how to deal with their mistakes and make reparations.
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