The debate on the sectarian movement in the Dead Sea Scrolls continues

Abstract

This article reviews the debate concerning the sectarian movement in the Dead Sea Scrolls. The consensus that the movement described in the Damascus Document and Community Rule originated in a dispute over the high priesthood in the mid-second century BCE has broken down in the last two decades since the unveiling of more texts, especially those from Cave 4. The scope of this debate and the ensuing developments are vast; therefore, the article only briefly discusses the main arguments and the more contemporary discourses, focusing on the five main aspects with their associated topics. These aspects are the Righteous Teacher, the Wicked Priest, the possible schism, the socio-historical context, and the sectarian movement.