Events

European Qumran Network Met in Göttingen

by Katri Antin

Several European universities foster the study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and train doctoral students to become experts in the Scrolls. In September 2014, both junior and senior scholars from the universities of Helsinki, KU Leuven, Groningen and Manchester were kindly invited to the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen to a workshop titled Dead Sea Scrolls and History — A Reassessment.

Dr. Jutta Jokiranta gave the first paper of the workshop, titled Sect or Movement — and What Difference Does it Make?
Dr. Jutta Jokiranta gave the first paper of the workshop, titled Sect or Movement — and What Difference Does it Make?

 

Dr. Jutta Jokiranta, a team leader of team 4 of the CSTT, encouraged the participants to think and re-think the history and nature of the Qumran movement in light of different theories concerning (religious) sects and movements. Also, several papers highlighted the complex nature of the source texts and the difficulties in getting access to historical knowledge. Due to the luxury for having 1,5 hours for each paper, the participants had the time to touch upon many questions concerning methodology and scholarly preconceptions.

In fact, the theme of the workshop was found so challenging that the participants decided to continue working on the theme together. Dr. Jokiranta invited the network to Helsinki in fall 2015.

The workshop took place in the Historic Observatory just outside the old town of Göttingen. Among others, Dr. Hanne von Weissenberg (Helsinki) and Prof. Eibert Tigchelaar (KU Leuven) enjoyed the warm fall weather.
The workshop took place in the Historic Observatory just outside the old town of Göttingen. Among others, Dr. Hanne von Weissenberg (Helsinki) and Prof. Eibert Tigchelaar (KU Leuven) enjoyed the warm fall weather.