Dead Sea Scrolls: Untold Story

Since they were discovered in 1947, the Dead Sea Scrolls have generated a number of studies, some balanced and some sensational, exploring their usefulness to an understanding of the history of Judaism and Christianity. Here, Hanson tells the story of the scrolls from their discovery to the present. He makes connections between the Essenes, the group that many scholars believe produced the scrolls, and Jesus of Nazareth, wondering if ""the Gospel accounts were perhaps written to show how Jesus' life conformed to the Essenes' prophecies regarding the coming Messiah."" Hanson offers two helpful appendixes, one a list of exactly what kinds of writings are in the Dead Sea Scrolls, another on current archeological research. Although there is little, if anything, new about the scrolls in Hanson's book, it is a balanced, informative, up-to-date volume. (May)