Word of God: 6. Higher Powers

Mar 19, 2025

Join Jeff Cloer, former director of collections at the Museum of the Bible, and Candida Moss, a scholar of early Christianity, as they unravel the museum's tumultuous history. Cloer shares gripping tales of seized artifacts and debunked forgeries, revealing the challenges of provenance. Moss critiques the museum's selective storytelling and its evangelical roots, questioning its claimed neutrality. Together, they explore how the institution has transitioned into a focal point for political faith, shaping the narrative of America’s religious and cultural identity.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Prayer Gathering With Political Aims

Hundreds, including Speaker Mike Johnson, attended the National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance at the Museum of the Bible in February 2025.
The event mixed fervent prayer with political messaging on abortion, sexuality and immigration.

ANECDOTE

Seizure And Repatriation Of Gilgamesh Tablet

Homeland Security seized the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet from the museum amid provenance concerns and possible illegal import.
Museum staff coordinated a high-profile repatriation that involved driving thousands of objects to the Iraqi prime minister's plane.

INSIGHT

Mass Repatriation Reveals Acquisition Failures

Approximately 17,000 items have been repatriated or agreed to be returned, about 40% of the museum's earlier collection.
That scale suggests deep problems in acquisition practices and the legal antiquities market.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

A dark, cold morning in February 2025. Hundreds are filing into the Museum of the Bible - evangelical leaders, gospel singers, and over 30 members of Congress including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. They've gathered just three blocks from the US Capitol for an annual event of fervent prayer about what they see as America's most pressing problems.

Meanwhile, journalist Ben Lewis explores how an institution that once dreamed of becoming a centre for biblical scholarship has transformed after losing some 17,000 artefacts - nearly 40% of its entire collection.

Through revealing interviews with museum officials and its critics, Ben traces the extraordinary journey of the Museum of the Bible - from the Green family's ambitions to make Washington, DC a centre for biblical scholarship, to the devastating revelations of forged Dead Sea Scrolls fragments and thousands of problematically sourced artefacts. Yet despite these setbacks, the museum has found new purpose as a convening space for a movement that wants to make evangelical protestantism the moving spirit of America’s future.

As Ben explores exhibits that present a selective view of religious and American history, he discovers how the museum bridges faith and politics. While its staff insist there's no religious agenda, events hosted within its walls blend prayer with political messaging. Through conversations with scholar Roberta Mazza and journalist Katherine Stewart, Ben examines how museums shape our understanding of history through what they choose to display - and what they leave out.

This final episode reveals how the Museum of the Bible has quietly evolved into something more significant than just a repository of ancient artefacts - a platform for reimagining America's past to shape its future.

Presented by Ben Lewis Produced by Martha Owen Series producer: Clem Hitchcock Executive producers: Philip Abrams and Jago Lee Story editor: Andrew Dickson Sound design by Richard Courtice Original music by Max de Wardener Additional sound effects courtesy of Freesound

A TellTale production for BBC Radio 4