Letter: Dogma of the Dead Sea Scrolls

Sir: It was irritating to see reported (1 September) the absurd suggestion that Father Roland de Vaux deliberately delayed publication of fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls. He was one of the most respected biblical scholars of his day and known for his intellectual integrity.

It is even more absurd to suggest that he might have attempted to suppress a fragment attributing the title 'Son of God' to someone other than Jesus. As Professor Geza Vermes rightly affirms, this was a title widely used and claimed in the time of Jesus, as has been known by theologians for hundreds of years.

Yours etc,

TIMOTHY RADCLIFFE

St Dominic's Priory

London, NW5

1 September