Central Seminary is thrilled to announce the acquisition of an ancient Old Testament scroll, generously donated by God’s Ancient Library. The scroll was recently showcased at the seminary’s Fall Conference and is permanently housed in a decorative display case, made possible by contributions from the alumni association.
The scroll is a gift from the Ken and Barb Larson family, founders of Slumberland Furniture, a leading home furnishings retailer that started in Richfield, Minnesota. The Larson family founded God’s Ancient Library to celebrate God’s Word by preserving and gifting beautiful Torah scrolls to schools that prepare Bible teachers for the future.
This particular scroll dates back to the early 19th century and features an Amsterdam script called Ôtiyyôt Amsterdam, coming out of the Dutch tradition. The scroll is 145 feet long and contains 62 panels with 247 columns.
More about the Ôtiyyôt Amsterdam script:
“The script used in the manuscript is a unique script form from the convergence of an established Sephardic community in Amsterdam with a large influx of Ashkenazi refugees in the 1640s and 1650s. As the Amsterdam script was only used in Torah scrolls from the 1600s to the 1820s, the present manuscript can be dated to the first few decades of the 19th century with a reasonable degree of certainty.”
In February 2023, Drs. Morrell, Mayes, and Odens received the scroll from God’s Ancient Library and spent time with a group of experts to learn special instructions for handling and care. Since that time, the Torah Scroll has been available for temporary display while a permanent case was being built. In the pictures below, Dr. Preston Mayes, Old Testament Professor, is seen unrolling the scroll and sharing the history and background of the Torah with students from a local Christian school.
Following Central’s 2023 Fall Conference, the alumni association focused their annual project on gathering funds for a permanent display for the Torah Scroll. With gifts that came in through this effort, the case was built and shipped from Georgia. The scroll and display are now on exhibit in the seminary library. Call the office at (763) 417-8250 or send a note to info@centralseminary.edu if you or your group would like to schedule a visit.
Central Seminary extends a word of appreciation to the Larson family and God’s Ancient Library for the gift of the Torah Scroll and to our faithful alumni serving worldwide for continuing to share in the education of spiritual leaders for Christ-exalting biblical ministry.
Pictures from the delivery of the display case:
