First Person: Renewing Our Vows

After much thought about the First Person for this, our 200th issue, we finally decided that the most relevant—and appropriate—words we could offer are those that introduced The Biblical Archaeology Review more than 34 years ago in our first issue. We don’t consider “The” to be part of our title anymore, but otherwise it seemed just right. Reprinting it is, in effect, our recommitment ceremony, like getting married again to the same person after years of happiness together.—H.S.

The aim of The Biblical Archaeology Review is to make available in understandable language the current insights of professional archaeology as they relate to the Bible. No other publication is presently devoted to this task.

While on occasion we may make an original contribution to knowledge, that will be unusual. Our primary function will be reportorial. However, we hope that we will often say things better and more understandably than they have been said before. And that in itself is a contribution.

Our readers vary. Many are professional archaeologists themselves. Others are casual Bible-readers with almost no background in archaeology. We hope to have something to say to both—and to those in between. The professional may find himself skipping over unnecessary explanations. The beginner may find that after a few issues he knows more than he thought.