The Essenes, an ancient Jewish sect believed by scholars to be the group who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls, were the topic of the second session of the Theologian-in-Residence lecture series at Tusculum College.

Dr. Travis Williams, assistant professor of religion at Tusculum, is presenting a series of lectures, “The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible: Identifying, Altering and Preserving Scripture in Antiquity” as part of the annual series sponsored by Tusculum College and partially funded by Ron Smith.

The focus of Williams’ presentation was examining what the archeological evidence and the text found in the scrolls themselves tell about the group that lived at the settlement at Qumran near the caves where the scrolls were found, as well as identify who wrote and took measures to preserve the more than 900 ancient texts that have been discovered in an arid area near the Dead Sea.

From the archeological findings at Qumran it can be concluded that a group of approximately 150-200 people lived in the settlement and that group was likely Jewish as there is a clear concern for ritual purity, Dr. Williams said. In addition, writing and copying of documents was important to this group.

The next question he addressed  is whether the people living at Qumran are connected to the Dead Sea Scrolls. “If we determine who wrote the scrolls, and if we can connect the scrolls to the settlement, it can be one of the pieces needed to understand the texts better,” he said.

Excavations at Qumran were initially supervised by a French Dominican priest, Roland De Vaux, who proposed that the settlement, which housed between 150-200 people, was occupied from around 135 B.C. to 68 C.E. with the exception of a period between 31 B.C. and 4 B.C. when it was abandoned after an earthquake.

However, Dr. Williams noted, scholarly views regarding the timeline of the occupation of Qumran have changed. Jodi Magness, who is the major authority on archeology at Qumran in recent times, has proposed a timeline that is now more widely accepted. In Magness’ timeline, Qumran was established sometime between 100 – 50 B.C. and was continuously occupied until 68 C.E. when the settlement is believed to have been destroyed by the Romans.

Some of the interesting finds at the site are a large dining hall, a scriptorium and several stepped pools, Dr. Williams said. The dining hall is the largest room at Qumran and archaeologists believe it to have been used for a communal meals because of the dishes found in an adjacent room, he continued.

The scriptorium was a room dedicated to writing and copying manuscripts and may have been where the parchments for the scrolls were prepared as evidenced by narrow tables well suited for writing and ink wells discovered inside.

Seven to 10 stepped pools around the settlement have also been the subject of debate, Williams noted. Some scholars have theorized that they were cisterns to collect rainwater. However, most scholars believe they are pools to be used for purification as some have steps with partitions that indicate a concern for ritual separation.

While there are alternate views that Qumran was either a wealthy villa or a pottery factory, the consensus view among most scholars is that the settlement was a communal building for a Jewish sectarian group, Dr. Williams continued.

The proximity of the caves to the settlement, the discovery of the same style of pottery jars in the caves and the settlement, as well as the ink used to write the scrolls all provide proofs that the scrolls and Qumran are connected, he said.

Very soon after the discovery of the scrolls, people began connecting them with the Jewish Essene movement, Dr. Williams noted, and the Essene hypothesis has since been the majority opinion of scholars.

The discovery of such things as phylacteries containing scripture, clothing fragments of white linen, and the geographical location of the settlement all match what is known of the Essenes’ strictness and focus on ritual purity from writings of historians and scholars of the period.

Texts within the scrolls themselves also reflect theological emphases which connect them with beliefs that are attributed to the Essenes, Dr. Williams said, such as a belief that man does not have free will but all is governed by God. The scrolls also document the same type of admission requirements that are mentioned by ancient authors describing the Essenes. To become an Essene, he said, an individual first had to enter a period of examination and testing before being accepted to the sect, a process that took about three years.

Although there is very little know about the origins of the community, Dr. Williams said, scholars believe it is connected to political upheaval in Jerusalem when the high priest was removed from office at around 100 B.C. and was replaced by a Jewish leader who helped one of the warring Greek factions battling for control of the area win the conflict. Scholars believe the Essenes are a group who separated themselves from the temple because of what they felt to be illegitimate leadership that did not meet the qualifications set forth in Judaism.

Scholars have also theorized about why the scrolls were left and it is believed that those at Qumran took the scrolls to the caves to keep them from being destroyed by the Romans.

The lecture series will continue on Tuesday, Feb. 23, when Dr. Williams will explore the fluidity of the scriptural texts found among the scrolls and also preview the phenomenon of “Rewritten Bible,” in which a work closely reproduces a biblical book but modifies it by means of addition, omission, paraphrase, rearrangement or other types of changes. Due to postponement of an earlier lecture this month due to inclement weather, the series’ concluding session will be Tuesday, March 8.

The lecture session will begin at 10 a.m. in the Chalmers Conference Center in the Niswonger Commons. The session will conclude around 1:30 p.m., and lunch in the college’s cafeteria is included. Although there is no admission fee to attend the lectures, reservations are required. For more information or to make a reservation for the series, please call 423-636-7304 or email eestes@tusculum.edu.

Dr. Travis Williams answers a question about the archeological discoveries at Qumran during the second session of the Theologian-in-Residence lecture series.

New dates have been set for lectures at Tusculum College. The lecture examining the political and religious rivalry between Rev. Hezekiah Balch and Rev. Samuel Doak and the lecture unveiling obscure cases from the annals of the Supreme Court have been rescheduled.

“Balch v. Doak and the Origins of Tusculum College” will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. in the Chalmers Conference Center at the Niswonger Commons. The “American Civil Rights and Liberties: Little Known Supreme Court Cases That Have Made a Big Impact” lecture has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 15, at 7 p.m. at the Behan Arena Theatre in the lower level (side entrance) of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Building on campus.

“Balch v. Doak” will be presented by Jeff Lokey, assistant professor of business administration at Tusculum College. “It’s interesting because their rivalry was transcended by Tusculum College,” said Lokey. “We haven’t forgotten it, but Tusculum doesn’t reflect that rivalry anymore.”

Balch and Doak’s animosity is historic to Greeneville. Several stories have been told detailing instances when the duo encountered each other.

As told by Richard Doughty, a former Greene County historian, “… [Balch and Doak] met one day on a plank over a particularly muddy spot. Doak was the first to speak. ‘I never make way for the devil.’ To which Balch quickly replied, ‘I do,’ and steeped aside in the mud to let Doak pass.”

While their rivalry is legendary, they both had a passion for higher education. Balch founded Greeneville College; Doak founded Washington College, formerly known as Tusculum Academy. Eventually, these two Presbyterian ministers merged their competing educational institutions to form Tusculum College.

Part of the Humanities events at Tusculum College, this will be open to the public free of charge and offered as Arts and Lectures credit for residential students.

“American Civil Rights and Liberties: Little Known Supreme Court Cases That Have Made a Big Impact” will be presented by Dr. David Scott as part of the Cicero Lecture Series and Tusculum Arts Outreach’s Acts, Arts, Academia 2015-16 performance and lecture series.

Dr. Scott, visiting instructor of political science at Tusculum, will be primarily discussing four cases that have been significant for the country during his lecture, but will also share information about other important Supreme Court decisions.

A licensed attorney, Dr. Scott earned his doctorate in political science with a focus in American politics from the University of Tennessee. He holds Juris Doctorate and Master of Dispute Resolution degrees from Pepperdine University.

His teaching and research interests include American constitutional law, civil rights and liberties, the influence of interest groups on the Supreme Court via the submission of amicus curiae briefs and political philosophy.

In his second year as an instructor at Tusculum, Dr. Scott has also taught at Carson-Newman University and Walters State  Community College, as well as serving as a graduate teaching associate at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He and his family live in Greeneville and he serves as an elder at First Christian Church.

Admission to the lecture is $7 per person. Students, faculty and staff of Tusculum College are admitted free with a Tusculum I.D. This is also an Arts and Lecture series event for residential students.

For more information about the lecture, please contact Tusculum Arts Outreach at 423-798-1620 or jhollowell@tusculum.edu.

The sound of hammering and sawing resonates at Tusculum College with the continued construction of the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math. Beginning next week, the exterior brick will begin showing and the concrete will be poured for the lecture hall.

“Most exterior walls are framed and have sheathing on them,” said David Martin, director of facilities. “I would estimate them to be 85 percent complete.”

Footing and columns have been added. Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection work continues overhead. Air barriers are ready for window installation when windows are delivered this month, added Martin

“Interior framing is about 60 percent complete, and the roofing structure will be complete by Monday, with the exception of one of the stairsways. The downspout gutters are tied into the storm system so the roof drains flow on the east side, keeping the building relatively dry,” he said.

Panels for the main electrical room will be set in the next few weeks, as well as concrete for the transformer pad.

The Meen Center for Science and Math will be a four-story structure of approximately 100,000 square feet. Interiors include wings for biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science and environmental science. There will also be lab space and research areas for both faculty and students.

The ground floor features the environmental science wing with a loading dock, as well as large general classroom spaces and classrooms equipped for distance learning programs. A large lecture hall will be included on the ground floor. Space is also allocated to house the Bachelor of Science degree program in nursing and at least one other graduate level health-related program.

Tony Shelton of Creative Masonry is the “Toughest Tender” in the world. Shelton competed in the Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 World Championships this week and was named “Toughest Tender.” Shelton competed as tender, the mason’s assistant, for Fred Campbell in Las Vegas, Nev., on Wednesday, Feb. 3.

The competition included more than 20 master craftsmen from across the globe. Campbell, while not a winner this year, is a past Bricklayer champion, winning in 2013 and 2015. Campbell’s company, Creative Masonry, is the contractor for the brickwork on the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math, which is currently under construction at Tusculum College. Creative Masonry also was the brick layer for the new Walters State building in downtown Greeneville.

Shelton is a contractor in his own right, as was his father, and he owns and operates Limestone Construction.

“Tony’s the best mason I’ve ever been around, and I wish I could take him with me to every job,” said Joe Lane, superintendent for Rentenbach Constructors, contractor for the Tusculum math and science building.

The Meen Center for Science and Math will be a four-story structure of approximately 100,000 square feet. Interiors include wings for biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science and environmental science. There will also be lab space and research areas for both faculty and students.

Campbell led the team to the world championships through regional and national competitions, and Shelton served as tender to Campbell during the main competition. In the preliminary event, the tenders raced against the clock to set up a predefined work area for the mason, and Shelton took home the top award in his category with a winning time of 15:22.

By Stephanie Turner, senior journalism and professional writing major from Shelbyville

A lecture examining the political and religious rivalry between Rev. Hezekiah Balch and Rev. Samuel Doak, founders of Tusculum College, will be presented on Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. in the Chalmers Conference in the Niswonger Commons by Jeff Lokey, assistant professor of business administration at Tusculum College.

“It’s interesting because their rivalry was transcended by Tusculum College,” said Lokey. “We haven’t forgotten it, but Tusculum doesn’t reflect that rivalry anymore.”

Balch’s and Doak’s animosity is historic to Greeneville. Several stories have been told detailing instances when the duo encountered each other.

As told by Richard Doughty, the late Greene County historian, “… [Balch and Doak] met one day on a plank over a particularly muddy spot. Doak was the first to speak. ‘I never make way for the devil.’ To which Balch quickly replied, ‘I do,’ and steeped aside in the mud to let Doak pass.”

While their rivalry is legendary, they both had a passion for higher education. Balch founded Greeneville College; Doak founded Washington College, formerly known as Martin Academy. Eventually, the two institutions merged to form Tusculum College.

Lokey said, “For more than 30 years, I have worked at Tusculum College, and I didn’t understand the rivalry between the two. I decided to find out what caused it.”

Part of the Tusculum College Humanities Series, the event will be open and is free of charge. For residential students, an Arts and Lectures credit is offered.

By Stephanie Turner, senior journalism and professional  writing major from Shelbyville

Dinner, dancing and romance are on the agenda for the Valentine’s Day Dinner/Swing Dance, set for Saturday, Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m., at the General Morgan Inn.

The evening event includes a reception, free dance lessons and a steak and shrimp dinner. Following dancing, a special dessert course will be served. Providing the music will be the Tusculum College Pioneer Jazz Band, along with special guests.

“When we decided to do a fundraiser for the band program, we were looking for a way to also provide entertainment to the Greeneville community,” said David Price, director of music at Tusculum College. “Spending a night dancing and eating good food with your sweetheart is what Valentine’s Day is all about.”

For anyone interested in honing skills for the dance floor, basic swing dance instruction will be offered immediately prior to the event from 6-6:45 p.m. by Dr. Bob and Christine Thorpe. The Thorpes have participated and competed in dance events across the southeastern United States for more than 20 years.

The Thorpes have been dancing together for 20 years and seize every opportunity to attend workshops, competitions and dance events from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati
and all over the southeastern US. They have taken private instruction in many styles of dance including Ballroom East and West Coast Swing, Waltz, Foxtrot, Carolina Shag and Latin Rumba, Cha-Cha and Tango.

Ticket prices for the event are $50 per person and include dance tickets, free dance lessons, an opening reception, dinner and a special dessert. Please call in advance to request a vegetarian substitution. A cash bar will be available.

Tickets are available for purchase at the General Morgan Inn or by contacting Price at 423-636-7303 or emailing daprice@tusculum.edu. A hotel package special is also available by contacting the General Morgan Inn at 423-787-1000.

Special table reservations are available for larger group seating by contacting Price.

The Pioneer Band Program at Tusculum College began in 2010, with the creation of the Pioneer Pep Band. The Pep Band became a much-enjoyed feature of the 2010 Pioneer football and basketball seasons, as the band performed at the Pioneer Club tailgate parties before each home football game and during pregame and half-time festivities.

Since that time a concert band, jazz band, marching band, handbell choir and several small ensembles have been added to the program. The groups play several events on campus each year, as well as events in the community.