Sabar on Dirk Obbink

Ariel Sabar has produced an engaging and informative overview of the tragic story of Dirk Obbink and the stolen Egyptian Exploration Society papyri. Naturally, we must all leave Obbink’s guilt to criminal investigations and proceedings. Sabar’s article, however, introduces those outside the EES and Museum of the Bible contexts to the main characters in this drama and the timeline which framed the events.

Ariel Sabar, ‘The Case of the Phantom Papyrus.’ The Atlantic (June 2020).

Scott Carroll Responds to Christianity Today Article

Scott Carroll, Dirk Obbink, and Jerry Pattengale

On Elijah’s last blog post, Scott Carroll has chimed in, giving his side of things. I thought I would repost his comment here so it doesn’t get lost in the comments.

As you are aware, I seldom post to blogs, so forgive my intrusion.

1. Despite what one might think of DO and what he has done (and that is yet to be untangled), it doesn’t feel right to me for someone to use his fall as an opportunity for self-promotion.
2. The CT editor knew that I hadn’t spoken with the author, JP, for over 7 years (and not because of a binding non-disclosure). You would hope to think that the editor would have vetted many of the things said as only one person’s recollection was critically tied to the piece even though there was another person in the room. It was regrettably filled with misrepresentations, misrecollections, and exaggerations. The mixed narrative doubtless left the uninformed reader confused. I personally hold CT responsible for this.
3. The basic elements of my recollection of those initial interactions have not changed since 2011. DO showed me the MK 1 papyrus on the pool table in his office. He said it had been dated to the late 1st or early 2nd c and he then went into some paleographic detail why he believed it must date to the late 1st c. It was in this conversation that he offered it for consideration for HL to buy (w/o mentioning a price). I said I would mention it to them which I did. I seem to remember mentioning it to them on occasion, but they never asked me about it or mentioned it to me. With my departure in June of 2012, I never signed a non-disclosure agreement.
4. These are my recollections based on my brief conversation about the Mk 1 papyrus with DW. I mentioned it to DW briefly in passing. I told him that the dating was based on the opinion of a renowned Oxford scholar. He mentioned a debate, which I knew nothing of, and asked if he could mention it. I said it wasn’t owned by HL so I couldn’t speak for them. I told him he would have to use his own discretion. It wasn’t my debate and how could I possible tell DW (who I did not know) to do something like that? And for what benefit to HL or DO? I did not have pictures of the papyrus. I do not think there could have been any way possible for DW to have seen Mk 1 before debate.
5. I wondered over the past 7 years why none of these people who knew the truth (non-disclosures aside) could step-up and verify what they knew. Why was the author of the CT article walking around with a scrap of paper in his wallet for 7 years like a memento verifying what happened without mentioning it to me or anyone else? The EES asked over a year ago (loosely paraphrased) ‘Who are we to believe the eminent DO or this nobody SC?’ No one could speak to the truth; afraid of DO and afraid of HL. Truth is never bound by non-disclosures. A year after the publication of Mk 1 and 7 years after the initial offering the CT articles feels more like a cover-up than an exposé. When people see that something is wrong and they don’t speak out against it, they become part of the problem and perpetuate it.
6. I am sure much more will come out on this and related topics. I would hope to think that everyone will be the better for it. My best.

At this point, the one key person we have not heard from is Dirk Obbink himself. We’ll wait to see what he says.

Jerry Pattengale on ‘First-Century Mark’

Christianity Today has just published an article from Jerry Pattengale: “The ‘First-Century Mark’ Saga from Inside the Room.”

More on the Green Scholars Initiative and "Logos at Baylor University"

In this interview with Jerry Pattengale in Indiana Wesleyan University (2012-08-02) there is further information about the forthcoming Brill series. Apparently, the first volume will not contain the NT MSS:

Comprising of one to two new volumes per year, the new series will publish approximately 20 papyri with a thorough description, commentary with images, and web-based support for further resources.

The first forthcoming volume in the series, planned to be released in early 2013, is dedicated to an early 3c BCE papyrus containing an extensive, undocumented work by Aristotle on reason, and is currently being analyzed by a research group at Oxford University.

Further, Steve Green has taken the initiative to organize and fund "Logos at Baylor University" which is a summer institute hosted by Baylor University for students interested in textual scholarship and Christian apologetics. The first ever Logos institute was organized in June when 31 international students were chosen to attend the institute doing hands-on research with scholars-mentors who are connected to the Green Scholars Initiative. 

The Baptist Standard reports (2012-07-10) from the same summer institute citing Jeff Fish (editor of the new Brill series) who said:
Scholars also mentored students editing some of the earliest fragments of the New Testament, with some dating to the second century, Fish said. Other discoveries are fragments of copies of some of St. Augustine's commentaries on John's Gospel and the Psalms, . . .

More here.

So editing is being done on these MSS. In fact, co-blogger Michael Holmes is also involved as mentor in the Green Scholars Initiative working on one of these fragments together with students, as mentioned in the Faculty Accomplishments of Bethel University for Spring last year.

– Yes, I am jealous!