Digging Up Dirt on Joshua

Step into the ruins of ancient Canaan with Dr. Cynthia Shafer-Elliott, a field archaeologist and Hebrew Bible scholar, as she unearths the real story behind one of the Bible’s most controversial books. Was there truly a conquest led by Joshua—or are we reading national myth rebranded as sacred history?

This eye-opening course brings together cutting-edge archaeology, biblical scholarship, and ethical reflection to tackle the Book of Joshua head-on. From missing destruction layers at Jericho and Ai to competing theories of Israelite origins, you’ll explore how the material evidence and the biblical text often tell two very different stories.

If you’ve ever wrestled with the violence in Joshua—or wondered how modern archaeology is reshaping our understanding of the Bible—this course is for you. Expect to be challenged, informed, and equipped to think critically about how scripture is written, interpreted, and used. History and theology collide in this fascinating investigation. Are you ready to dig deeper?

In "Digging Up Dirt on Joshua: Historical Conquest or Fan Fiction," Dr. Cynthia Shafer-Elliott—a seasoned archaeologist and Hebrew Bible scholar—takes learners on a journey through one of the most ethically and historically fraught books of the Hebrew Bible: the Book of Joshua. With a firm grasp of both material culture and biblical narrative, Dr. Shafer-Elliott begins by laying the foundation for why Joshua matters—not only as a theological text, but also as a transitional book in the Former Prophets that links the Torah to Israel’s broader historical narratives. From the outset, the course poses the hard questions: Is Joshua history, theology, or something in between?

Participants are guided through the structure of Joshua, from its conquest narratives to its land distributions and covenant renewals. Alongside this literary roadmap, the course delivers a deep dive into archaeological evidence—or the lack thereof—for many of the conquest accounts. The destruction layers at key sites like Jericho and Ai are missing or misaligned chronologically with the biblical timeline, prompting serious questions about the historicity of Joshua’s military campaigns. Drawing from decades of fieldwork and excavation, Dr. Shafer-Elliott explains how shifts in material culture and the sudden appearance of Iron Age hilltop settlements tell a story that is far more complex—and arguably more compelling—than the sweeping victory tales of Israelite conquest.

The course culminates in a reflective discussion on the theological and ethical implications of Joshua, especially concerning divine violence, land possession, and historical memory. Dr. Shafer-Elliott does not shy away from controversial topics, addressing how conquest texts have been used—and misused—in modern geopolitical and religious contexts. Rather than offering definitive answers, the course equips learners with the critical tools to navigate the intersections of archaeology, theology, and ethics, fostering a nuanced and informed engagement with one of the Bible’s most difficult books.

The literary structure and historical placement of the Book of Joshua in the Hebrew Bible.
The theory of the Deuteronomistic History and its implications for understanding biblical narratives.
Archaeological evidence (or lack thereof) for destruction at sites such as Jericho and Ai.
Competing theories on how Israelites entered Canaan: conquest, peaceful migration, peasant revolt, and symbiosis.
The significance of the Merneptah and Tel Dan steles as historical anchors.
How the biblical conquest accounts align or conflict with the archaeological record.
The ethical and theological issues raised by divine violence and land occupation.
How biblical texts have been historically repurposed in ideological and political contexts.
Ways to critically engage the Bible through both material and textual lenses.
The role of archaeology in interpreting and re-contextualizing sacred scripture.

Dr. Cynthia Shafer-Elliott is an Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Baylor University and a leading expert in the archaeology of ancient Israel and Judah. With a Ph.D. from the University of Sheffield, her work focuses on household archaeology—examining food, gender, religion, and daily life in the biblical world. Her research combines rigorous textual analysis with firsthand excavation experience at sites like Tel Halif and Tel Abel Beth Maacah.

Passionate about making the ancient world accessible, Dr. Shafer-Elliott is the author of Food in Ancient Judah and a frequent speaker on how archaeology brings the Bible to life. Whether she's analyzing cooking pots or biblical texts, her goal is to illuminate the gritty, lived experiences of ordinary people in Scripture—and help modern readers see the Bible with new eyes.

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