Martin Abegg: Difference between revisions

'''Martin Abegg''' Jr. is a notable [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] scholar, researcher, and researcherprofessor. Abegg is responsible for digitizingreconstructing the full text of the Dead Sea Scrolls from the Dead Sea Scrolls concordance, whicha project that broke the lengthy publication monopoly held on the scrolls.<ref name="BIB">{{cite web|url=http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-artifacts/dead-sea-scrolls/cast-of-characters/|title=Cast of Characters|work=Biblical Archaeology Society}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = BAS Publishes Dead Sea Scrolls {{!}} The BAS Library|url = http://members.bib-arch.org/publication.asp?PubID=BSBA&Volume=17&Issue=5&ArticleID=1|website = members.bib-arch.org|accessdate = 2015-12-04}}</ref> He went on to foundco-direct the Dead Sea Scrolls Institute at [[Trinity Western University]] from 1995-2015.<ref name="BIB" /> Here, Abegg held the Ben Zion Wacholder Professorship.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Dead Sea Scrolls Institute {{!}} Trinity Western University|url = https://www.twu.ca/research/institutes-and-centres/university-institutes/dead-sea-scrolls-institute/default.html|website = www.twu.ca|accessdate = 2015-12-04}}</ref> Because Abegg is an influential Dead Sea Scrolls scholar, he has been honoured with a collection of essays written by his peers and students.<ref>{{Cite web|title = The War Scroll, Violence, War and Peace in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature {{!}} Brill|url = http://www.brill.com/products/book/war-scroll-violence-war-and-peace-dead-sea-scrolls-and-related-literature|website = www.brill.com|accessdate = 2015-12-04}}</ref> Abegg currently resides in Abbotsford, British Columbia with his wife, Susan. Together they have two daughters.<ref name="TWU">{{cite web|url=http://twu.ca/directory/faculty/martin-abegg.html|title=Martin Abegg - Trinity Western University|work=twu.ca}}</ref>

Abegg spent two years teaching Hebrew at the Northwest Baptist Seminary.<ref name="TWU" /> He also spent one year as a pastor.<ref name="TWU" /> Abegg taught for three years at [[Grace Theological Seminary]] in [[Winona Lake, Indiana]].<ref name="TWU" /> After this, he moved to [[British Columbia]], where he become a professor of Dead Sea Scrolls Studies at [[Trinity Western University]] in Langley.<ref name="TWU" /> Here, he became co-director of the Dead Sea Scrolls Institute alongside [[Peter Flint (religious scholar)|Peter Flint]].<ref name="TWU" />

Abegg first became acquainted with the Dead Sea Scrolls during his graduate work at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.<ref name="TWU" /> In 1987 he returned to the states, and completed his dissertation at the [[Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion|Hebrew Union College]] in Cincinnati on the [[War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness|War Scroll]] from [[Qumran]] Cave 1.<ref name="TWU" /> During his time at the [[Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion|Hebrew Union College]], Abegg began to collaborate with Professor Ben Zion Wacholder.<ref name="TWU" /> John Strugnell, chief editor of the scrolls, had sent Wacholder a copy of the secret concordance of the Dead Sea Scrolls the editors were using at the time.<ref name="BIB" /> Using this concordance, Abegg created a computerized database for the Dead Sea Scrolls texts.<ref name="BRI">{{cite web|url=http://brianwdavidson.com/2013/09/20/interview-with-martin-g-abegg-on-electronic-dead-sea-scrolls/|title=Interview with Martin G. Abegg on Electronic Dead Sea Scrolls|work=Brian W. Davidson}}</ref> Abegg decided to publish this material while he was completing his dissertation.<ref name="HUC">Hebrew Union College and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Jason Kalman</ref> Though this made Dead Sea Scrolls studies more convenient, Abegg was met with fury. Many influential scholars had been kept away from the materials while the editorial team worked on their first edition of scroll translation.<ref name="HUC" /> Those who had the privilege of working with the scrolls were angry that their work had been undermined.<ref name="HUC" /> However, Abegg's publication broke a forty-year monopoly on the scrolls, allowing scholars of all kinds access to examine the artifacts.<ref name="BIB" /> Furthermore, Abegg's work on the concordance gave him the opportunity to create computer research tools in association with Accordance Bible Software for Dead Sea Scrolls research.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Dead Sea Scrolls Resources in Accordance|url = http://www.accordancebible.com/buzz/articles/dss_index.php|website = Accordance Bible Software|accessdate = 2015-12-04}}</ref> Essentially, Abegg's work accelerated Dead Sea Scrolls research.