The Qumran Community and the Essene Sect

By Cleve A. Johnson. Since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 scholars have spent years studying them and the nearby ruins of Qumran. It has been assumed by most scholars that the community of Qumran was an Essene group and that they were responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the past several years much debate has arisen concerning whether or not the community at Qumran was part of the Essene sect and whether or not the members of the community wrote the Scrolls or if the community was only responsible for hiding them.