Catholic Theologian Says New Discovery Supports Theory that Meteor Destroyed Biblical Sodom

A prominent Catholic theologian, Dr. John Bergsma, has generated significant buzz in the world of archaeology by proposing that recent discoveries in Jordan strongly align with the biblical narrative of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Bergsma, a theology professor at Ohio's Franciscan University and a prolific author, asserts that the site of the ancient event recounted in the Bible has likely been identified.

Photo credit: Artem Kniaz

Highlights

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
9/28/2023 (7 months ago)

Published in Technology

Keywords: archaeology, Sodom, Gomorrah, meteor impact, biblical history, Tall el-Hammam, Dr. John Bergsma, Steven Collins, divine intervention, Old Testament

In a recent installment of "Pints With Aquinas," Bergsma voiced his conviction that archaeologist Steven Collins has pinpointed the location of Sodom. Collins, the dean of the College of Archaeology at Trinity Southwest University, has made remarkable findings at the archaeological site known as Tall el-Hammam in present-day Jordan.

According to Bergsma, the critical element of this revelation is the role of a meteor ďż˝" or meteorite ďż˝" in the cataclysmic event that befell Sodom. He believes that God employed this celestial body to obliterate the sinful city. Bergsma underscores the divine providence in the timing of such events, noting that "These things are in the hands of God."

The archaeological evidence at Tall el-Hammam paints a compelling narrative. Layers of soil and debris strongly imply that the city met its fiery end through intense heat. Bergsma, an esteemed figure in the field of theology, maintains that this evidence has profoundly reshaped his perspective on the Old Testament.

Bergsma explains that when a meteor enters the Earth's atmosphere, it heats up and then explodes, akin to an atomic blast. This meteor, he believes, matches the description in Genesis 19 and surrounding chapters that tell the tale of Abraham and Lot.

One of the most striking pieces of evidence is the discovery of pottery containing trinite, a glassy layer formed by extreme heat, akin to the aftermath of an atomic bomb detonation. Bergsma notes that this pottery reached temperatures exceeding 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit for a brief period.

The city of Tall el-Hammam, located just north of the Dead Sea on the Jordanian side of the river, bore the brunt of a massive heat blast from the sky. Archaeologists found human skeletons that were fully intact up to the mid-back, with only scorch marks above. This suggests that these individuals were behind a wall when the meteor explosion occurred, and the wall shielded the lower part of their bodies.

Additionally, the blast is believed to have created a significant vacuum that pulled salt sediment from the Dead Sea. Bergsma suggests that this phenomenon may be the basis for the reference in Genesis 19:26, where Lot's wife "became a pillar of salt."

Bergsma, a respected theologian and author, finds the archaeological evidence remarkably convincing. He emphasizes that the biblical account is the sole historical record of such a meteorological and geological event, and this discovery aligns perfectly with both the time period and the description in the Bible.

Steven Collins, the archaeologist behind these groundbreaking findings, documented his research in the book "Discovering the City of Sodom: The Fascinating, True Account of the Discovery of the Old Testament's Most Infamous City."

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