31 Days of Writing in Community: Day 9- The Dead Sea Scrolls and Community

I went to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit on Sunday. This event was hosted by  Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.

The Scrolls were copied by men in a community called Qumran, about seven miles outside of Jerusalem.
Qumran was a community  that aimed for  piety and dedication to the scripture. Meticulously, they copied the scriptures and stored them in jars in the surrounding caves. One thing that struck me as I explored the exhibit was how all of this could relate to community in writing. These were people who took the Word, the written Word, seriously. Their world was set up to bring them success in their endeavors. They had what it takes to be a successful community- outside resources (sponsors in Jerusalem) , common goals, layers of involvement, repeated interactions, and product. And they changed the world.