But along with nearly 1,500 other NEH grants that supported work at colleges and universities, the Psalms project was canceled earlier this month as part of the Trump administration’s purge of the independent agency that supported research and scholarship in religion as well. That purge included the elimination of 65% of NEH’s employees. ...The "chainsaw approach" of DOGE is clearly eliminating grants that, like this one, do further the President’s agenda and should, on the Trump administration's own terms, be preserved. But it's also true that many of DOGE's cuts have been restored upon review.The project included building a computer database of hundreds of early copies of the Psalms, a set of 150 lyrical poems beloved by Jews and Christians alike. Among the oldest scrolls are 40 fragments of the Psalms discovered in caves near the Dead Sea between 1946 and 1956, as well as about 150 medieval manuscripts and many Greek scrolls and codices.
Strawn and Longacre’s project was an attempt to reconstruct the best readings of the Psalms from all the versions that have been unearthed so far. The grant covered the first 50 of the 150 Psalms. Other scholars have already been selected to complete the remaining 100 Psalms.
The archetype that Strawn and Longacre were going to create, sometimes called an “eclectic” edition, would become the foundational text for all modern translations of the Bible. Bible scholars have already completed an eclectic edition of the New Testament, but none exists for the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible books.
“With around 200 volunteers, we’re training a large proportion of America’s up-and-coming Bible scholars in how to work with manuscripts and digital text editing,” Longacre said. “With that much impact for the buck, canceling the grant makes no sense.”
I encourage the recipients of this grant to make the case vigorously that the decision should be reversed. I'm not sure what the NEH review process is in this unprecedented situation, but, whatever it is, pursue it. And some respectful posts on X making the case on the administration's own terms, and amplified by as many people as possible, could have an effect.
The project advances a better understanding of the text of the Bible, which is in the public's interest, it coheres with the administration's priorities, and it is a good use of taxpayer funds, with well-defined and measurable outcomes. It involves the Dead Sea Scrolls, for which the public has much interest and enthusiasm.
Say that. Say it in detail, echoing the language of the NEH announcement of its new priorities.
There is a strong case to be made here, so make it. Feel free to link to this post if you think it would help.
I noted the Critical Edition of the Hebrew Psalter Project here and here.
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