Dr. Douglas Grisaffe
Presented to The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries on the occasion of Promotion to Professor, Dr. Douglas Grisaffe, Marketing, Fall 2022.
Item(s) added to the Libraries' collection:
The Jesus papyrus: the most sensational evidence on the origins of the Gospels since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls
Thiede, & D’Ancona, M. (2000). The Jesus papyrus : the most sensational evidence on the origins of the Gospels since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls (1st Galilee ed.). Doubleday.
I chose this book because it uses data and science to challenge accepted narratives of subject matter experts. Scientific analysis of three parchment fragments housed at Oxford University led to the conclusion that the New Testament Gospel of Matthew was indeed written by Matthew relatively early in the first century – a proposition countering standing dogma of many scholars.
The personal resonance for me is that scientific inquiry need not blindly adhere to assumptions of the day, which often follow ideological or even political narratives. During COVID for example, data about doctors’ early intervention was censored in favor of “accepted” narratives. Lives could have been saved if alternative approaches had been welcomed. Such is the perspective-changing theory and science applied in The Jesus Papyrus. I hope this book spurs others on toward evidence-based dissent in the free pursuit of narrative-shaking discoveries.