FREE PUBLIC EVENT: The Hamilton Science Faith Forum and the CSCA present a lecture by Alan Dickin (Emeritus Professor of Geology at McMaster University).
Did Joshua Really Fight the Battle of Jericho? A Reassessment of the Scientific Evidence
The Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt is a central theme of the Old Testament, but its date and even its historical reality are disputed. Archaeological evidence records the sacking of the city of Jericho, but radiocarbon dating of this event puts it much earlier than generally accepted dates for the Exodus. This is a huge problem in Biblical Archaeology and threatens to undermine the biblical account of the Exodus and Conquest as historical events. This lecture re-examines radiocarbon constraints on the date of the Exodus in light of new measurements and calibration efforts. It concludes that an earlier date for the Exodus would greatly improve the historical credibility of the account.
Alan Dickin is Emeritus Professor of Geology at McMaster University. His research includes isotope dating and biblical studies.