Depending on how you might define it, forgeries of biblical and biblical-adjacent literature has been going on since before there really was a Bible.
In his book, ‘Biblical Forgery and Academic Authentication: Persisting Patterns of Guile and Gullibility,’ Jonathan Klawans explores the many different documents that have been produced over the centuries in attempts to influence the religious landscape.
In this episode, Fred discusses with the author the various ways in which forgeries are made to the extent that they can deceive the most revered scholars and the myriad reasons forgers have for engaging in their craft.
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Biography from Boston University:
Professor Klawans joined the Department of Religion and the Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies in the fall of 1997. Professor Klawans is a specialist in the religion and religious literature of ancient Judaism. He teaches courses in Western Religion, the Hebrew Bible, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Rabbinic literature, and Theories and Methods for the Study of Religion. He has published articles in journals such as AJS Review, Dead Sea Discoveries, Harvard Theological Review, Journal of Jewish Studies, New Testament Studies, Numen and Religious Studies Review.
