Difference between revisions of "Edwin R. Thiele"
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| − | + | '''Edwin R. Thiele''' (1895-1986) was a [[missionary]], an [[archaeologist]], and a [[professor]] of [[Old Testament]] studies. He is best known for his 1943 doctoral dissertation, in which he attempted to synchronize the King Lists of the Divided Kingdoms [[Northern Kingdom|Northern]] and [[Southern Kingdom|Southern]] with archaeological records of the ancient [[Assyria]]n civilization. | |
== Life == | == Life == | ||
| − | Dr. Thiele was a natural-born citizen of the [[United States]], served as a [[missionary]] in [[China]], and earned renown as an [[archaeologist]] specializing in [[Assyria | + | Dr. Thiele was a natural-born citizen of the [[United States]], served as a [[missionary]] in [[China]], and earned renown as an [[archaeologist]] specializing in [[Assyria]]n studies. |
Dr. Thiele died in [[St. Helena]], [[California]] in 1986. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in [[Berrien Springs]], [[Michigan]]. | Dr. Thiele died in [[St. Helena]], [[California]] in 1986. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in [[Berrien Springs]], [[Michigan]]. | ||
| Line 18: | Line 18: | ||
== Dr. Thiele's major thesis == | == Dr. Thiele's major thesis == | ||
| − | Thiele believed that the king lists in I and II Kings were inconsistent with one another, and either in error or simply misinterpreted in light of the published history of the [[Assyria | + | Thiele believed that the king lists in I and II Kings were inconsistent with one another, and either in error or simply misinterpreted in light of the published history of the [[Assyria]]ns. He therefore sought to reconcile the chronology of the Divided Kingdoms with the chronology of the Assyrians. His key assumptions were: |
# That King [[Jehu]] of the [[Northern Kingdom]] paid a tribute to [[Shalmaneser III]] in 843 BC. | # That King [[Jehu]] of the [[Northern Kingdom]] paid a tribute to [[Shalmaneser III]] in 843 BC. | ||
| Line 31: | Line 31: | ||
*[http://www.olive-tree.net/redemptiveplan/ThieleSummary.htm A Summary of Edwin Thiele's Work] by Olive Tree Ministries | *[http://www.olive-tree.net/redemptiveplan/ThieleSummary.htm A Summary of Edwin Thiele's Work] by Olive Tree Ministries | ||
| − | == See | + | == See also == |
*[[Biblical chronology dispute]] | *[[Biblical chronology dispute]] | ||
*[[The Annals of the World]] | *[[The Annals of the World]] | ||
[[Category:Archaeologists|Thiele, Edwin R.]] | [[Category:Archaeologists|Thiele, Edwin R.]] | ||
Revision as of 21:25, July 12, 2016
Edwin R. Thiele (1895-1986) was a missionary, an archaeologist, and a professor of Old Testament studies. He is best known for his 1943 doctoral dissertation, in which he attempted to synchronize the King Lists of the Divided Kingdoms Northern and Southern with archaeological records of the ancient Assyrian civilization.
Contents
Life
Dr. Thiele was a natural-born citizen of the United States, served as a missionary in China, and earned renown as an archaeologist specializing in Assyrian studies.
Dr. Thiele died in St. Helena, California in 1986. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Curriculum Vitae
- 1918: Bachelor of Arts degree from Emmanuel Missionary College (since renamed to Andrews University), Chicago, Illinois, United States
- 1918-20: Home missionary secretary, East Michigan Conference
- 1920-32: missionary in China
- 1937: Master of Arts in Archaeology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
- 1943: Doctor of Philosophy in Archaeology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
- 1963-5: Professor of Antiquity, Andrews University, Chicago, Illinois.
Major Publication
- The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings, Chicago, IL, 1943 (his doctoral dissertation). Reprinted by Kregel Academic and Professional Publishers, November 10, 1994, 256 pages, paperback. ISBN 082543825X
Dr. Thiele's major thesis
Thiele believed that the king lists in I and II Kings were inconsistent with one another, and either in error or simply misinterpreted in light of the published history of the Assyrians. He therefore sought to reconcile the chronology of the Divided Kingdoms with the chronology of the Assyrians. His key assumptions were:
- That King Jehu of the Northern Kingdom paid a tribute to Shalmaneser III in 843 BC.
- That King Ahab of the Northern Kingdom took part in the Battle of Qarqar against Shalmaneser III in 853 BC.
Because a strict read of I and II Kings would make these dates untenable, Thiele concluded that the history of the Northern Kingdom was long by 45 years. By extension, the history of the Southern Kingdom was also overly long by this same number of years.
Most evangelical scholars have accepted his work without question. But Larry Pierce in 2003 published an English translation of The Annals of the World by James Ussher. He then launched a public challenge to Dr. Thiele's work, and the assumptions behind it, in order to validate Ussher's original chronology.
External References
- Edwin R. Thiele by Wikipedia
- A Summary of Edwin Thiele's Work by Olive Tree Ministries
