Scott Carroll, professor of history, has two classes working on a combined project. His History of Bible and Renaissance and Reformation classes are rewriting the Esther Scrolls in four different languages. The scrolls are being made on papyrus that Carroll got from Egypt.

“When I found out we were going to be making scrolls for our project, I was so excited. I didn’t think I would ever be able to do that,” Jade McKibben said.

The idea to rewrite the scrolls came about when old Esther Scrolls came into Doc Carroll’s possession. In his upper level, he had students make their own paper, ink and their own text.

“I wanted to do this with the Bible so they would learn the painstaking process of hand writing the Bible,” Carroll said.

Carroll divided his Bible class into groups and gave them papyrus, then assigned them a different language. Each group would then create an Esther Scroll in that language. The class will be graded on their accuracy.

McKibben’s group is doing their scroll in Hebrew. Their group was paired with a girl from another class who wrote Esther in Hebrew on the scroll.

“We are doing our best to make them look Renaissance period,” she said.

The Renaissance and Reformation class are providing authentic illustrations for the scrolls.

McKibben’s group is planning on doing a vine around the edge. They were going to do scenes from Esther, but there was not enough room.

“Many beautiful illustrated Esther Scrolls were done by Jews in the Renaissance,” Carroll said.

On April 15, Dr. John Helstrom will be on campus to talk to Carroll’s classes along with CU as a community. Dr. Helstrom is a retired minister and scholar from Fort Worth, Texas. He has compiled one of the more substantial collections of biblical antiquities in the U.S.

“We are all looking forward to it,” McKibben said.

“The student scrolls will be on display too,” Carroll said.

The Esther Scrolls were the only scrolls the Jews were allowed to have in their homes because they are the only scrolls that do not have the name of God in them.

“This is a personal copy of God’s Word for the Jews, and the students participate in it,” Carroll said.

While the students have worked on their scrolls, they have been able to look at the authentic copies of the scrolls.

“Doc brought in Renaissance period scrolls for the class to look at,” McKibben said. “By the way these are probably the most priceless thing you will ever touch,’” she said.

“When they are finished, I am hoping there will be an appropriate place to display them,” Carroll said.

Carroll hopes that the students will have a much deeper appreciation for the Bible and a deeper appreciation for the challenges of hand copying Scripture.

“It’s a lot harder than it looks. The people who used to make them had hours to work on them; we don’t,” McKibben said.

“We just have fun; it was our goal from the beginning,” she said.

“It’s kind of like touching history.”