THEOLOGY DEPARTMENT

Module: Pentateuch

Lecturer: pr. Inoke. Matoto

Assignment/Title: Article Review

Due date: 10/09/2023

Number of words: 500

Student: chanan john

I affirm that this assignment is my own work, that it is based on my research or study, and t
all materials and sources used in its creation have been credited. I further affirm that I have
already submitted the assignment for assessment and that I have not copied the work of othe
students or individuals in part or in full.
 Article review

The article “The Documentary Hypothesis” was written by Greg A. King and was
published in the Journal of the Adventist Theological Society in 2001. Greg A. King earned a
Ph.D. in Old Testament at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond. His research was about the
theological coherence of the book of Zephaniah. He was the secretary of the Adventist
Theological Society and has extensive experience in teaching and research in biblical studies.
Now seeing the continual scholarly discussion on the Documentary hypothesis issues connected
to Christian theology has influenced him to write this article. This article review consists of five
parts: a summary statement, the author's claim and rationale, my evaluation, my rationale, and
the conclusion.
Greg A. King gives a very critical judgment and evaluation of the starting point of the
authorship and Pentateuch and other portions of Deuteronomistic books of history. This article
gives a brief ancient outline of the authorship and the Pentateuch also further talks about the
strengths and weaknesses of that particular theory. Greg A. King is involved in the evaluation of
the theory or issue. This theory lacks actual evidence in explaining specific aspects of the
Pentateuch. The article put forward the Pentateuch as a collection of the four original documents:
first the Yahwhist (J), second the Elohist (E), third the Deuteronomist (D), and last is the Priestly
source (P). Most of the 20th century then accepted the theory while first collected in the 19th
century. The Hypothesis still exists due to some still accepting the original form of the
hypothesis while others have questions about it.
The writer claimed by saying that the theory gives fruitful structure for the ancient and
written research by getting to know different types of information and their sources in supplying
the information in the Pentateuch. Although weaknesses were found in the theory which were
rooted in ideological assumptions and were not accurate or trustworthy likewise disputed by
many other theories of Pentateuch authorship.
Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the documentary Hypothesis was the Authors
rationale even in contributing to the continual debate by the scholar on the theory in connection
to the Christian theology.
I do agree on how the author writes and discuss the argument in the article. There is a
proper structure followed, interact using question forms and answers makes the article interesting
to read. Also he clearly mention the strength and weakness of the article and discuss different
authors or theory with their argument proofing his article can be trustworthy by many cites he
visits. Greg A. King engage in arguements with other scholars and present a fresh insight of the
source to the assumption of the other scholars. It provides the reader a choice to make and
consequence to face.
To conclude, the article the Documentary Hypothesis was written by Greg A. King and
was published in the journal of the theological society in 2001. He earned a Ph.D. and
contributed to a ongoing debate on the authorship and Pentateuch by many other authors and
theory. His analyses was well structured giving readers’ choice to make and consequence to face.