What is the Catholic Church's response to the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls?

Question

I need help for a research project. I need to know what is the Roman Catholic Church's response to the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls. please include website sources.

Answer 1

This article seems rather positive: http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/SFS/an0500.asp

In the 1950s, Father Roland de Vaux, a Dominican priest and archaeologist, excavated the site where the scrolls were found. He established that a community of men had lived there from 175 B.C. to 70 A.D. It is now generally accepted that these men were the Essenes.

The Dead Sea Scroll contain:
- All of the books of the Old Testament (Hebrew scriptures) except Esther
- Several books that never became part of the Hebrew Scriptures
- Numerous commentaries on the Scriptures
- Books having to do with
.....- Community life
.....- Rules for living
.....- Temple worship
.....- Other matters

There are many duplicates. Fourteen copies of Deuteronomy have been found and two of Isaiah.

The scrolls are important because they:
- Testify to the accuracy of the people who copied and recopied the Scriptures over the centuries. Despite minor errors, they show us that the Old Testament has not changed since it was compiled.
- Throw light on beliefs and customs in Palestine during times between the Old and New Testamants. There was far more diversity among the Jews than had been thought.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

I don't know the stance but I know they haven't released the text or information about what is contained in the text. Nor do they have any plans to.