Many stories in the history of the Church and of biblical scholarship remain only partly told. Of these, few are as significant as the story of archaeology. Since the nineteenth century, when archaeological expeditions were first launched in an extensive way, literally tons of artifacts and parchments have been uncovered. Many bear either directly or indirectly on the biblicalrecords. For some periods—such as the earliest history of the people of Israel and the years in which the New Testament was written—thefinds have often been revolutionary.
This issue of CHRISTIANITY TODAY helps to illumine this story. Foremost on our list of contributors is the distinguished Orientalist Dr. William F. Albright, retired professor of Semitic languages at Johns Hopkins University, who contributes a focal essay on the Bible and archaeology.
When an assassin’s bullet felled Senator Kennedy, we were within hours of our final editorial deadline. The stunning news from Californiacarried a new warning of the trendtoward violence in the United States, and a further reply to those who think that a new society can beshaped simply by changing socialstructures.
For background on Arab-Israeltensions bearing on the mood of Kennedy’s assassin, Sirhan Bishara Sirhan, readers are referred to our last issue, particularly the essay by Dr. Kelso, and to page 39 of this issue.
