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==Authorship==

==Authorship==

Biblical tradition within and without the Old Testament, Jesus in the New Testament, as well as extra-Biblical writers such as Josephus, Origen, the early church fathers and many others, have claimed Moses as the author of Genesis, written during the time of the Hebrew wanderings in the Wilderness, between 1440-1400 B.C.  Certainly, Moses was well established to have written Genesis in Hebrew, Akkadian, or Egyptian; he was well educated and trained in the Egyptian court.  Archaeology demonstrated that such a man did have the education necessary to accomplish this during that time in history. (Unger, pp. 35-35)

Biblical tradition within and without the [[Old Testament]], [[Jesus]] in the [[New Testament]], as well as extra-Biblical writers such as [[Josephus]], [[Origen]], the early church fathers and many others, have claimed [[Moses]] as the author of Genesis, written during the time of the [[Hebrew]] wanderings in the Wilderness, between 1440-1400 B.C.  Certainly, Moses was well able to have written Genesis in Hebrew, [[Akkadian]], or Egyptian.  He was well educated and trained in the Egyptian court.  [[Archaeology]] demonstrates that such a man would have the education necessary to accomplish this during that time in history. <ref>Unger, pp. 35-35</ref>

The higher critical view was that Moses did not write it.  Some biblical scholars identified five separate authors of the five 'books of Moses'<ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_tora.htm Who Wrote The Pentateuch, The Five Books of Moses?]</ref><ref>[http://lectionary.org/EXEG-English/OT/EOT01-Gen/Authorship-Genesis%20&%20Pentateuch.html Introduction to Genesis & the Pentateuch]</ref>.  Although unidentified, each of these authors has been given the name of a letter:

The higher critical view is that Moses did not write Genesis.  Some biblical scholars identified five separate authors of the five 'books of Moses'<ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_tora.htm Who Wrote The Pentateuch, The Five Books of Moses?]</ref><ref>[http://lectionary.org/EXEG-English/OT/EOT01-Gen/Authorship-Genesis%20&%20Pentateuch.html Introduction to Genesis & the Pentateuch]</ref>.  Although unidentified, each of these authors has been given the name of a letter:

* J who calls God ''YHWH'' (the ''Jehovist'' account), and who possibly wrote in the south of [[Judah]], written c. 850 B.C.

* J who calls God ''YHWH'' (the ''Jehovist'' account), and who possibly wrote in the south of [[Kingdom of Judah|Judah]], written c. 850 B.C.

* E who uses ''Elohim'' ('the gods', 'the spirits') as God's name, and possibly wrote in [[Ephraim]], written c. 750 B.C.

* E who uses ''Elohim'' ('the gods', 'the spirits') as God's name, and possibly wrote in [[Ephraim]], written c. 750 B.C.

* D who wrote the book of Deuteronomy, about 650 B.C.

* D who wrote the book of [[Deuteronomy]], about 650 B.C.

* P who wrote an alternate history in what was called the ''Priestly Code'', about 500 B.C.

* P who wrote an alternate history in what was called the ''Priestly Code'', about 500 B.C.

* R who joined the writings of J, E, D and P to form a single work.

* R who joined the writings of J, E, D and P to form a single work.

* Genesis 2:4 was written by R

* Genesis 2:4 was written by R

* Genesis 2:5 through 4:26 were written by J.

* Genesis 2:5 through 4:26 were written by J.

This theory has gained in popularity since it was first proposed in the late 19th century.  However, it is inevitably a product of modern rationalistic research and the application of literary criteria. Opponents of this research point to the fact that it is difficult to reconcile with the historical, miraculous, and prophetic elements which they claim to be basic to the first five books of the Bible (Unger, 397; Young, pp. 183-276).

This theory has gained in popularity since it was first proposed in the late 19th century.  However, it is inevitably a product of modern rationalistic research and the application of literary criteria. Opponents of this research point to the fact that it is difficult to reconcile with the historical, miraculous, and prophetic elements which they claim to be basic to the first five books of the Bible.<ref>Unger, p. 397; Young, pp. 183-276</ref>

== See also ==

== See also ==