Pondering the Spade: A Conversation with Dave Schreiner

In my last post (May 13), I invited Lawson Stone to help us understand the value of archaeology study Bibles, as well as provide an overview of the whole archaeological enterprise. That brief foray into the field, got me thinking about digging a little deeper (get it? dig. archaeology.) into the topic.

Last month, my good friend Dave Schreiner, published Ponderingthe Spade: Discussing Important Convergences between Archaeology and Old TestamentStudies (Wipf & Stock). I had the honor of reading a pre-publication copy of the manuscript. Apparently, Wipf & Stock liked what I had to say about the book since my endorsement is right there on the back cover (and website). Here’s what I had to say about it:

In a masterful elucidation of the complexities surrounding ‘biblical archaeology,’ Schreiner invites us on a journey, from pickaxe to publication. Using nine distinct examples as test cases, Schreiner helps the uninitiated not only discover some of the most impressive archaeological finds pertinent to Old Testament studies, but he also permits his readers to eavesdrop on the oft-lengthy process of evaluating its implications for the biblical text.

Although Dave and I are both alumni from Asbury Theological Seminary, we didn’t meet until 2017 when we both presented papers related to the book of 1 Kings in the Early Historical Books session for the Institute for Biblical Research. Dave is an assistant professor of Old Testament at Wesley Biblical Seminary.

Kyleinschriften: That’s enough from me. Dave, why don’t you introduce yourself to those who don’t already know you.

DBS: Well, I grew up the son of a United Methodist minister, along with a mom and two brothers. Dad pastored in the West-Ohio conference, and so that environment really shaped me. Mom was an OB nurse who worked consistently throughout my life. All things considered, it was a great life. I was very fortunate.

After switching my major in college from Criminal Justice to Bible, I eventually got a degree from Indiana Wesleyan University in Biblical Literature. From there, I was off to Asbury Theological Seminary to figure out exactly what the Lord had begun doing in my life during college. There, a Master’s Degree in Biblical Studies allowed me to efficiently move into ATS’s Ph. D. program in Biblical Studies. I finally finished all my formal education in 2012 after writing my dissertation on a particular theological theme that took me through Kings, Deuteronomy, Haggai/Zechariah, and Luke.

Kyleinschriften: Neither Asbury Seminary, where you earned your PhD, nor Wesley Biblical Seminary, where you teach, are especially known for their archaeology programs. So, how did you get interested in the “dirty” side of biblical history?

DBS: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark….of course!

But seriously, I have always been attracted to history, particularly ancient history. And, you know this, if you spend enough time in ancient history you will hear people talk about archaeology. However, I really got interested in its importance during my graduate work. I remember hearing my professors talk about archaeology. But the way they were able to synthesize it with the content of the Old Testament was something to behold. Then I had an opportunity to take a formal class and go on a dig. Once I spent time at Tel Rehov and was able to experience the daily grind of archaeology, I was hooked.

Kyleinschriften: Why did you decide to write the book? Were you bored? Didn’t have enough to do with 2 small daughters, a newborn, and multiple jobs?

DBS: Yeah…I was getting too much sleep. I figured trying to put a book together would bring me down to about 4 hours a sleep a night, which is ideal, right?

But it was a practical concern more than anything. I always ask my students to consider general issues of archaeology and specific cases in the Old Testament courses I teach. However, to accomplish this, I would have to pull from several resources. For example, to discuss Kuntillet Ajrud I would send them over here, but to discuss Mari or the Gilgamesh Epic I would have to send them over there. It was annoying. Moreover, there was always the problem of accessibility. Many of the articles would get too technical too quickly.

So, I wanted to put them in one location, in an accessible manner, many of the most important finds unearthed by archaeology and discuss why it was important to consider them in a pursuit of understanding the Old Testament. You know, a one-stop-shop for really getting an understanding of this convergence.

Kyleinschriften: We'll get to this idea of convergences shortly, but first I want to tell me about what it was like to find inscribed potsherd while you were washing pottery!

DBS: Yeah…and if there is one thing that I could point to that represents my interest in archaeology, it’s this find.

So, as I describe in my book, I pulled it out of a wash bucket on one of the final afternoons. Now what I don’t really describe too much is the hoopla that surrounds the finding of the inscription. People are yelling, scrambling to find a camera and data logs. It’s really kind of funny. You don’t realize just how important writing is for archaeology—how rare it was in antiquity—until you see what happens after someone finds an inscription. But then you get your picture taken with it and that’s really it. It’s gone. The dig directors scoop it up, catalog it, and then lock it up for storage.

But I have to say that there is a certain level of irony here. I don’t agree with Mazar and Ahituv’s reading of it, and I may be in the minority. I’ve exchanged emails with them on the subject. I’ve even given a paper on my reading of the ostracon. I did that a few years back, making a typological argument with the Samaria Ostraca.

Kyleinschriften: Your book is organized around the topic of convergences, either broad or narrow. What do you mean by “convergence” with respect to archaeology?

DBS: As I explain, the notion of convergence is something I picked up from William Dever. I have always appreciated his candid methodological discussions, particularly his willingness to call out any sort of short-sided invocation of archaeology for any apologetic purpose. According to Dever, essentially, Archaeology and Biblical Studies should be understood as distinct disciplines that move to intersect with each other when certain variables are present. The phenomenon when Archaeology and Biblical Studies move toward each other and inform the conclusions of each other is what he calls a “convergence.”

My contribution to the discussion, at least as far as I am aware, is to categorize the phenomenon through two types of convergences: broad and narrow. Narrow convergences refer to those instances when the results of archaeology come to bear on a specific topic or passage. Conversely, broad convergences don’t speak to a specific text, word, or issue. Rather, broad convergences speak to macro-level social, historical, or theological issues, issues that appear in multiple contexts.

For example, a broad convergence is how the textual archives at Mari have illuminated the prophetic institution. A narrow convergence would be the silver amulets of Ketef Hinnom or the Taylor Prism.

Kyleinschriften: In your humble opinion, what do you think has been the most significant archaeological discovery with respect to Biblical Studies? Why?

DBS: Gosh man…I knew you were gonna ask that….

So, if you put me in a corner—and this is gonna speak to my personal interests as a lover of Israelite history—it’s got to be a combination of the Tel Dan Stele and the Taylor Prism. In fact, this is really why I placed my discussion of these two finds back-to-back in my book.

I think that Christians generally have a poor understanding of what history writing is. As a genre, what are its characteristics, what is it trying to do, and how is it accomplishing that goal? What makes this particularly troublesome is that so much of God’s revelation is tied up with Israel’s historical experiences and historical reflections. In other words, a predominant percentage of Scripture is associated with a genre that is—again generally speaking—poorly understood. And when you throw in the differences between ancient and modern history writing, it’s an even more pressing issue.

Combined, these two finds force Christians to wrestle with the nature of history writing in an ancient context. If we don’t, then a situation is created that implies the need to make a hard decision between two pools of data. As if it’s either “Team Bible” or “Team Archaeology.” I just think that such a stark dichotomy is neither necessary nor healthy. 

Kyleinschriften: What I found to be especially helpful in Pondering the Spade is that you invite your readers to join the process of interpretation. You help us realize that artifacts don’t often tell us why—or how—they deserve our attention. Why did you think it was important to take us through that process?

DBS: If the goal of the project was to enlighten people to the nuanced relationship between Archaeology and Biblical Studies, then it stands to reason that walking the reader through the process of figuring it all out was the best way. Archaeological data has to be interpreted, and its importance isn’t just gonna smack us in the face or become immediately obvious.

For example, I talk about the Tel Dan Stele. If there’s a textbook case of a find’s importance evolving through time, it’s this one. At first it was trumpeted as a silver bullet to loud statements that David was essentially a mythical figure. However, through time it’s become clear that the importance of this find is more than answering the question of whether or not David existed. While it verifies that David was a historical figure and founder of a formidable dynasty in Iron Age Judah, its importance is historiographical. It forces us to wrestle with the dynamics of ancient history writing and consider whether or not the Old Testament’s historical books can be trusted as legitimate historical resources. I’ve already mentioned this.

Kyleinschriften: Why do you think a book like yours is needed, and who do you think would most benefit from reading it?

DBS: I hope that whoever reads it will begin to understand the nuanced relationship between Archaeology and Biblical Studies. Archaeology is not some magical key that presents answers to the historical difficulties of Scripture. I mean, it can identify the necessary roads to travel, and it can even verify a few things along the way. But we must understand the intentions of Archaeology as a discipline and let it speak into the conversation in a way that does not compromise it as a discipline. This is an important discussion for any serious student of Scripture, and I wrote it as such. However, seminary students and any student serious about the history of Israel will get a fair amount of mileage out of it. 

Kyleinschriften: Thanks, Dave. Great stuff! If you any interest in archaeology, the world around the Old Testament, or you want to better understand the ranges of significance of archaeology on Old Testament studies, be sure to pick up a copy of Pondering the Spade. It’s an accessible book, and even the more technical aspects of the book are recounted in conversational tone.