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ORIENTALIST MOTIVATIONS: A STUDY OF SUBJECTIVITY 323

1990), in which, suffering from manic-depression, he expressed certain anti-
Judaic sentiments. Among these was a reference toJudaism as "a horrible
religion", statements to the effect that theJewish problem was best solved
through mass conversion to Christianity, and that Judaism was initially
racist. Though he pointed out at the interview's start that he did not intend
his comments to be taken as anti-Semitic, Katzman ignored the request
and critiqued them in no uncertain terms; Strugnell suspects that,

behind Mr. Katzman [lava worry] whether Christian scholarshipcould
deal impartially with the nature of the scrolls, being documents of a
Jewish sect... I'm amused when I hear people like Schiffman [of New
York University] saying how sad it is that Jewish scholars have not
been working on these texts."

By dint of the article he was discharged. Years later he continued to deny
anti-Semitic leanings, insisting on the term 'anti-judaist' instead: a person
not antagonistic toJews as individuals or masses, but to the Jewish religion
alone.

But I'm not really concerned whether I dislike or like the religion of
Judaism. I want more things for the religion of Christians. I want the
reign of Christ to be more glorious, which it would be certainly by
having 20 million moreJews on board."

Inretaining Christian beliefs Prof Strugnell must have sensed the theo-
logical significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls, otherwise attaining the post
of chief editor would have been a hopeless dream. His dismissal was not
the result of incompetence, or for that matter disbelief in, or denigration
of, the manuscripts he was supervising. As he observed, it stemmed entirely
fromJewish fears of his subjectivity in examining a document ofJewish
nature, given among other things his fervour for Christ. This religious rivalry
proved sufficient grounds for barring him, irrespective of his credentials.

iii. AreJewish Scholars Free to StudyJewish Topics?

So far we have cited two cases where accusations of anti-Semitism dis-
qualified exceptional scholars from researchingJewish themes. But what

6 H. Shanks, "Ousted Chief Scroll EditorMakes His Case:AnInterview withJohn
Strugnell", Biblical Archaeology Review, July!Aug. 94, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 41-42.
7 ibid, p. 43. One interesting claim he makes is that the "Cardinal Archbishop of
ParisisaJew and he getson perfectly well with his archdiocese, whichis notJewish"
[p, 43].