"Witchcraft and Folk Traditions" by Roger J Horne is a fascinating exploration of the world of witchcraft and its deep roots in folk traditions. This book delves into the history, beliefs, and practices of witches, providing a comprehensive understanding of this mysterious and often misunderstood subject. Horne begins by tracing the origins of witchcraft back to ancient times, examining the role of witches in different cultures and societies. From ancient Egypt to medieval Europe, he highlights the common threads that connect these diverse traditions, emphasizing the enduring power of witchcraft. Throughout the book, Horne examines the various forms of witchcraft, including traditional folk magic, ceremonial witchcraft, and modern paganism. He explores the rituals, spells, and symbols used by witches, shining a light on their rich and complex traditions.
Wet sifting
Stripling, who had previously participated in the Temple Mount Sifting Project in Jerusalem, said in the interview that when he began the sifting project at Mount Ebal, he only expected to write a “boring methodical paper” about embracing the new technology offered by wet sifting the rubble of excavations.
The Book of Joshua relates that Moses s successor as leader built an altar on Mount Ebal as part of a covenant renewal ceremony soon after the Israelites returned to Canaan from Egypt. In addition to the difficulty in reading the tablet, another challenge is that the tablet was not discovered in-situ while trained archaeologists carefully dug in layers and recorded their findings.
He explores the rituals, spells, and symbols used by witches, shining a light on their rich and complex traditions. He also delves into the different facets of witchcraft, such as healing, divination, and spell casting, providing insights into the practical aspects of this ancient craft. In addition to discussing the beliefs and practices of witches, Horne also explores the historical persecution and fear associated with witchcraft.
Has the Mt Ebal “Curse tablet” Defeated the Historical Criticism of the Old Testament and Proved the Bible?
Last year a band of scholars caused a furore as they revealed the 3200-year-old Mt Ebal “Curse Tablet”, which would revolutionise the study of the Bible and ancient Israel. After much waiting, they published a journal article on their find where they argued for their conclusions. [1] The scholars claim that they found a lead tablet that they can read and decipher. They claim it is a curse tablet written in Hebrew, that mentions YHWH, the God of the Israelites and the Old Testament. If true, these claims would push back the emergence of Hebrew by about two hundred years, and it would be the oldest inscription within Israel that mentions YHWH by centuries. The scholars have shared their findings and conclusions very liberally on popular-level apologetic and biblical social media channels.[2]
I am not as confident as they are about the significance of this find. Here are six reflections on this article and the controversy it has caused.
1. A Worthwhile Find
The first thing to say is that it is a find worth studying. The authors have convinced me that a piece of folded-up lead at an ancient religious site is worth studying and any new data that may arise is worth bringing to light.
2. Solid Dating Methodology
The dating of the tablet is based on solid methodology. In dating the tablet, they have done good archaeological work.
3. Confident Conclusions Despite Methodological Problems
The methodological problems with the scans of the lead tablet aren’t reflected in the rhetoric of the team’s conclusions. For example, the letters the authors find in the scans are on the inside of the folded tablet. I would think that no matter how sophisticated and powerful the techniques are used to see inside the folded tablet, whatever we see inside the tablet would be a reconstruction at best and guesswork at worst.
Additionally, the images were obtained by X-ray Tomographic (XCT) measurements. The authors admit, “In general, XCT of lead objects is a challenging task because of the strong scattering of X-ray photons and the high attenuation of X-rays by lead.”[3] And “Due to the distortion of the tomographic reconstruction by scattered photons, it is difficult to determine the actual location of the letters.”[4]
Granted, they employed various techniques to reduce the challenges of using XCT measurements in this context. But, given these candid admissions about the difficulty of the task, I would think they would lead the authors to make far more modest claims. I would expect them to be more restrained about what can be seen in the tablet, what data can be extracted from what can be seen and what conclusions can be made from said data. But, in their conclusions, I don’t see that warranted restraint.
4. Letters? Yeah, nah
The article has many photos of what the authors claim are inscribed letters. When I saw these photos, I found myself repeating the oft-used Aussie idiom, “Yeah, nah.” In other words, I couldn’t see the letters they saw; therefore, I’m not convinced we can find the divine name or any other words in this tablet.
5. Alphabet Soup
The authors state that “The scribe wrote in different directions: left to right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top, and in boustrophedon order” (“as the ox plows”).[5] They provide a drawing with the letters on the tablet numbered in order of reading. But they don’t offer any reasons for this reading.
Even if all the letters they say there are actually there, to my eyes it still just seem to be nothing more than a jumble of letters. If an interpreter does see the logic in the flow of the text that logic needs to be demonstrated and not just stated, as the authors have. To claim to have found, in an alphabet soup, a curse that uses the divine name and has a chiastic structure is misleading.[6]
6. Irresponsible Claims
Some of the authors’ claims based on this inscription are incredibly irresponsible. Even if everything they say about the tablet is true, it doesn’t follow that this proves that Moses wrote the Pentateuch, and the documentary hypothesis is wrong. This table has no bearing on Moses’s historicity or whether he wrote the Pentateuch. Even if everything the authors claim is true, the best we can say is that we have evidence of writing in ancient Israel that predates our previous oldest Hebrew inscription at Khirbet Qeiyafa by two centuries.
It also doesn’t follow that this tablet proves the historicity of Joshua and the biblical conquest. If the authors’ claims are accurate, the location it was found in was probably cultic (related to worship). This gives us another small piece of evidence in arguing for the cultic nature of the Mt Ebal site. This small piece of evidence converges with the biblical account of Israel’s worship at Mt Ebal in Joshua 8.[7] But notice my argument; I am trying to be cautious in my conclusions because the evidence they put forward demands such caution. But the authors have not been careful in their conclusions. This is why I think their claims are irresponsible.
Why This Matters
Here is why as an evangelical pastor I wrote this article: the authors’ overblown claims hurt Bible believers; they don’t help them. Imagine the teenager who watches a YouTube clip where one of the authors of this article makes some of their egregious claims.[8] The teenager then takes a course at uni where this find and the authors’ claims are analysed. The young Christian finds that the claims are bogus and, because of this discouraging conclusion, questions other beliefs they have. This scenario is not far-fetched. At least every few months, I chat with young Christians who have been told misleading historical information about the Bible, only to find that this information is untrue. I then talk with them about what we can responsibly say about the Bible and its historicity, which for an ancient document, is quite a lot.[9]
In the last few years, I have been studying the archaeology and history of ancient Israel. When I started out, I was gobsmacked by how the claims by archaeologists and historians of all stripes, sceptical and conservative, were at odds with the facts on the ground, or even the majority of scholarship. It is good for Christian leaders and evangelists to be aware of this and to do some fact checking. We don’t need to rely on spurious archaeology and bogus conclusions to bolster our confidence in the reliability of the Bible. [10]
[1] Scott Stripling, Gershon Galil, Ivana Kumpova, Jaroslav Valach, Pieter Gert van der Veen and Daniel Vavrik, “‘You are Cursed by the God YHW:’ an early Hebrew inscription from Mt. Ebal.” Heritage Science, volume 11:105.
[2] For example see, Scott Stripling on Sean McDowell’s show: Dr. Sean McDowell, “Oldest Hebrew Writing? Mt. Ebal Curse Tablet (Revisited)”. YouTube video. 12 th May 2023. See also Associates for Biblical Research, “CURSED! The Mount Ebal Curse Tablet (Part One): Digging for Truth Episode 200”. YouTube video. 1 st May 2023.
[3] Stripling et al., “You are Cursed by the God YHW”. 4.
[4] Stripling et al., “You are Cursed by the God YHW”. 4.
[5] Stripling et al., “You are Cursed by the God YHW”. 7.
[6] Stripling et al., “You are Cursed by the God YHW”. 21.
[7] For more discussion on the archaeology of Mt Ebal and its connections to the Bible see Ralph K. Hawkins, The Iron Age I Structure on Mt. Ebal, (Indiana: Eisenbrauns).
[9] For historians that argue for the historicity of the Old Testament see Kenneth A. Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans); Bill T. Arnold and Richard S. Hess (eds.), Ancient Israel’s History: An Introduction to Issues and Sources. (Grand Rapids: Baker).
[10] I would like to thank Professor William Schneidewind (UCLA) and Lawson Stone (Asbury Theological Seminary) for giving feedback on an earlier version of this article. All issues with the final product are mine!
Hans Kristensen is blessed to be saved by grace alone. He loves calling Kate his wife, Emma, Niels and Elijah his children and Marsfield Community Church his church. Hans loves anything to do with guitar and basketball. He is pursuing a bachelor of Ancient History, majoring in the archaeology, and history of Israel and the Hebrew Bible at the Australian Catholic University.
He delves into the dark history of witch trials and witch hunts, shedding light on the mass hysteria and superstition that led to the persecution of countless innocent people throughout history. Despite the persecution and negative stereotypes that surround witches, Horne presents a balanced view of witchcraft, highlighting the positive aspects of this ancient practice. He emphasizes the connection between witches and nature, exploring their reverence for the earth and the cycles of the seasons. He also discusses the spiritual and transformative aspects of witchcraft, highlighting the potential for personal growth and empowerment. Overall, "Witchcraft and Folk Traditions" is a comprehensive and informative book that provides a deep understanding of the world of witchcraft. Through his thorough research and engaging writing style, Horne sheds light on the history, beliefs, and practices of witches, challenging common misconceptions and offering a nuanced perspective on this ancient craft. Whether you are a practitioner of witchcraft or simply curious about this fascinating subject, this book is sure to captivate and enlighten..
Reviews for "Connecting with Nature through Witchcraft and Folk Traditions: Roger J Horne's Insights"
1. John - 2 stars
I was really disappointed with this book by Roger J. Horne. I expected it to delve into the fascinating world of witchcraft and folk traditions, but instead, I found it to be quite superficial. The information provided was basic and generic, and it didn't offer any deep insights or unique perspectives. Additionally, the writing style was dry and uninspiring, making it difficult for me to stay engaged. Overall, I felt like I wasted my time and money on this book.
2. Sarah - 1 star
I have read numerous books on witchcraft and folk traditions, and unfortunately, Roger J. Horne's book fell far short of my expectations. The content lacked depth and failed to provide any valuable or meaningful information, making it difficult for me to learn anything new. Moreover, I found the organization of the book to be confusing and disjointed, jumping from one topic to another without much coherence. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone interested in exploring the world of witchcraft and folk traditions.
3. Mark - 2 stars
I found "Witchcraft and Folk Traditions" by Roger J. Horne to be quite disappointing. The author's approach to the subject matter felt reductive and oversimplified, failing to capture the richness and complexity of these fascinating traditions. The book lacked depth and critical analysis, leaving me with the impression that it was merely scratching the surface. Additionally, I found numerous factual errors and inconsistencies throughout the text, which further diminished my confidence in the author's research and expertise. Overall, I was left unsatisfied and would not recommend this book to others.
4. Lisa - 1 star
As someone with a deep interest in witchcraft and folk traditions, I was truly let down by Roger J. Horne's book. The information provided was basic and largely recycled from other sources, without offering any unique insights or fresh perspectives. Furthermore, the writing style was dull and uninspiring, failing to spark my curiosity or engage me in any meaningful way. I was hoping to learn something new and be inspired by this book, but unfortunately, it fell flat on every level. I would not recommend it to anyone looking for an in-depth exploration of witchcraft and folk traditions.