Do Those Who Discredit Biblical Narrative Have an Agenda?

The article “Battle of Biblical Proportions” (May 11), on the “scholarly group” that is dedicated to disproving whatever historic reality there might be for the pre-Christian part of the biblical narrative, failed to discuss the importance of religious narrative to the moral power of religion. Inspirational narrative is not only the basis for religion-based morality; it is also the basis for the secular morality seen in patriotism and feelings of civic responsibility.

American history, for example, may be presented to American children as tales of heroism and a moral struggle for freedom and democracy, or it could be presented as an epic of slavery, genocide, racism and imperialist exploitation. The decision as to how American history should be presented to American children will be based on how we think the patriotism of Americans should be developed, not just by whether the picture we present is supportable by rigorous historic documentation.

The same goes for how religion is taught. Every society must have an inspirational group narrative upon which to build the society’s moral structure. If an existing group narrative is discredited, another narrative must replace it. Those who wish to discredit the biblical narrative probably have a hidden agenda; they ought to come forward and disclose which inspirational narrative they wish to promote instead, and for whose benefit.

LAWRENCE SELK

Los Angeles

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To liken biblical revisionists to Holocaust deniers, as [California Museum of Ancient Art Executive Director] Jerome Berman has done, cheapens the horrors endured by millions. There are a few biblical revisionists who throw out the Bible’s historicity without bothering to look at actual data. However, there is a much larger group of scholars, including Israel Finkelstein and Ze’ev Herzog, who use archeological and historical evidence to revisit older interpretations that were based on the assumption that the Bible is historically accurate. This is a legitimate and valuable scholarly exercise.

BRYAN STONE

Los Angeles

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Thanks for the informative article. However, there are not only scholars who believe the Old Testament as originally written contains historical truth, and those who don’t, but others--just as numerous, learned, and committed--who believe that everything that the Old Testament writers claim to be historically true is indeed just that: true.

BONNIE COMPTON HANSON

Santa Ana