Opened in late 2017 near the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the Museum of the Bible (MOTB) has alternately been a source of celebration or consternation among Bible experts nationwide. The museum has been mired in controversy for attempting to fuse evangelical Christian funding with a “non-sectarian” mission, being connected to illegal antiquities smuggling, and displaying forged Dead Sea Scrolls. The MOTB continues to draw attention not only from the popular press but also from biblical scholars, some of whom have been involved as advisors.
While the MOTB was once conceived as a missionary tool, in recent years the organization has presented itself principally as an educational and research institution that does not privilege any particular religious community. Many critics, including the present authors, have argued that despite MOTB leadership’s attempts to make it a “neutral” institution, the museum actually offers an evangelical understanding of the Bible.
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