The Documentary Hypothesis by Umberto Cassuto as it is a relatively early attempt to dismantle the theory that dominated biblical studies for a century. And certainly, the DH has deep flaws – some of them nearly fatal. There is a certainty to the theory which the evidence does not and will never hold. But the arguments that Cassuto brings forward to create his own hypothesis are equally shaky – or plausible, depending how we view the idea of ‘evidence’ and ‘plausibility’ about the biblical texts.
At this point in the history of biblical study, who would not claim that the bible is a composite text? It is not the work of one person, or two, but many. So what is it, how was it created, and what is the history of its composition? What can we really know with certainty?
We really need to embrace more post-modern versions of biblical criticism. Grand theories are over; we should have many theories that both compete and compliment each other. Grand theories simply no longer hold.
