Biblical forgery cases get everyone riled up—here are the two hottest controversies of the moment, covering both Old and New Testaments: “The Shapira Scroll” and the “Gospel of Jesus’ Wife.” Brian goes off. Come for the juicy details on both documents, and stay for the hard discussion of “history” and meditation on intellectual humility.

The pandemic never ends joke: https://twitter.com/mattbooshell/status/1422589796828987395?s=10

The Rylands Papyrus (which Brian erroneously called the “Rowlands” Papyrus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rylands_Library_Papyrus_P52

New York Times article on the Shapira Scroll controversy: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/10/arts/bible-deuteronomy-discovery.html

The Shapira Scroll (overview, photos): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shapira_Scroll

Idan Dershowitz: https://www.dershowitz.net/

Excerpt from Dershowitz’s new book on the Shapira Scroll: https://www.academia.edu/45450947/The_Valediction_of_Moses_A_Proto_Biblical_Book

Professor Christopher Rollston on the Shapira scrolls: http://www.rollstonepigraphy.com/?p=896 

Ariel Sabar, “the Unbelievable Tale of Jesus’ Wife (The Atlantic): https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/07/the-unbelievable-tale-of-jesus-wife/485573/

Professor Karen King, Harvard Divinity School: https://hds.harvard.edu/people/karen-l-king

Gospel of Jesus’ Wife on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Jesus%27_Wife 

Ariel Sabar, Veritas: A Harvard Professor, a Con Man and the Gospel of Jesus's Wife: https://www.amazon.com/Veritas-Harvard-Professor-Gospel-Jesuss/dp/0385542585

Chris Hedges’ review of Ariel Sabar’s book on the Gospel of Jesus’ Wife forgery: https://scheerpost.com/2021/07/29/the-forged-gospel-of-jesuss-wife/

Kellyanne Conway on “alternative facts”: https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/conway-press-secretary-gave-alternative-facts-860142147643