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Tell Tale
All of this will require ventures in faith and goodwill from donors and institutions. Christian institutions are not so well endowed as Chicago, Harvard, or Johns Hopkins. Therefore, consortiums, not individual colleges or seminaries, will have to work together without yielding to the temptations of turf wars. Dever mentions as an example of a successful consortium the Madaba Plains Project in Jordan, which has been operated for nearly 25 years by a group of Seventh-day Adventist schools.

Reinvigorating biblical archaeology also requires faith because archaeological field work is expensive, requiring much money and many willing workers. There is a role not only for institutions, but also for foundation support and private "deep-pocket" initiatives, such as the Scriptorium Project, currently excavating a fourth-century monastery in Egypt.

Despite the daunting costs and the complexity of the undertaking, we believe that there is enough interest among evangelicals to make new efforts worthwhile. Wheaton College (the only Christian college at this time to offer an undergraduate major in biblical archaeology) has found that a little advertising has generated greater student interest in their program.

Evangelicals are committed to fostering a belief in the trustworthiness of Scripture. That requires both argument and evidence. And the evidence, buried in the tells of the Middle East, requires painstaking excavation and analysis. Who will provide the funds? Who will lead the way?

This Christianity Today editorial originally appeared in Oct. 23, 1995, issue of the magazine.

Today is day five of Christianity Today's Archaeology Week.

Yesterday: Listening to the Fifth Gospel | The sun-baked ruins of the Holy Land have a story to tell. By David Neff

Wednesday: What Do the Stones Cry Out? | Beware of claims that archaeology disproves—or proves—the Bible is true. By Christian M.M. Brady

Tuesday: Top Ten New Testament Archaeological Finds of the Past 150 Years | How do shrouds, boats, inscriptions, and other artifacts better help us understand the Christ of the Ages? By Ben Witherington

Monday: Bones of Contention | Why I still think the James bone box is likely to be authentic. By Ben Witherington

Friday: Biblical Archaeology's Dusty Little Secret | The James bone box controversy reveals the politics beneath the science. By Gordon Govier

Dever's "Death of a Discipline" article is not available online, but the issue it appeared in can be purchased via the Biblical Archaeology Review website. Neil Asher Silberman's response to Dever's article is available in PDF format here.

Christianity Today's earlier coverage of archaeology includes:

Did the Exodus Never Happen? | How two Egyptologists are countering scholars who want to turn the Old Testament into myth (Sept. 7, 1998)

Weblog: James Ossuary Owner Arrested on Fraud and Forgery Charges (July 23, 2003)

Ossuary Questions Remain | Israel Antiquities Authority says "brother of Jesus" inscription is a forgery, but supporters say its report may be flawed (June 20, 2003)

Weblog: Israeli Officials Say James Ossuary, Joash Tablet are Fakes | Israel's Antiquities Authority unanimously calls James Ossuary inscription a forgery (June 18, 2003)

Weblog: Apostle Paul's Shipwreck Makes Headlines | Former U.S. ambassador tries to block book (May 15, 2003)

Books & Culture's Book of the Week: Oh, Brother | Most everyone agrees that the James ossuary is a significant find. Ask what it means, however … (Mar. 17, 2003)

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September (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47