The topic of this article has at least five names. The documentary hypothesis and the JEDP theory are the most common. In this article, this academic position will always be referred to as the Documentary Hypothesis with a few exceptions. The Documentary Hypothesis, or JEDP Theory, is the opinion held by various scholars that the five books of the Pentateuch were actually written by four different authors, and not Moses. This theory holds that various editors (called Redactors) later mixed the five books together and edited them to make them easier. The documentary hypothesis is a form of higher critical theology and is closely associated with Germany. This hypothesis has its roots in the Middle Ages, but began primarily with 19th-century scholars who recognized inconsistencies in the Pentateuch and sought to explain them. These inconsistencies, referred to by the hypothetical documentarians, include different names for God and differences in writing styles. Some scholars also use the documentation of Moses' death to support the theory, stating that Moses could not have written about his own death if he had been the author. Those who hold this scholarly position believe that the true writers of the Pentateuch were four authors cited as Jahwista (Yahwist), Elohist, Deuteronomist, and Priestly Writer. From these names they formed one of the titles of this theory, JEDP. There are many contradictory opinions regarding the Jahwist, or J as he is often called. The Yahwists are said to have lived in the kingdom of Judah. Half of Genesis, the first half of Numbers, and the book of Joshua are supposed to have been written by the Yahwists because of their grammatical and literary form and the names used for God. Why the selection... middle of paper... yclopedia .org. September 25th. 2009. “Edouard Guillaume Eugene Reuss.” Encyclopedia Britannica (eleventh edition). 1910-1911. 1911encyclopedia.org. September 25th. 2009. “Did Moses Write the Pentateuch?” Don Closson. 2001. Leaderu.org. September 26th. 2009. "The Book of Genesis." Wikipedia. 2009. Wikipedia.org 28 September. 2009.Van Seters, John. Abraham in history and tradition. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1975. Hill, Andrew E. and Walton, John H. A Survey of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000. Theopedia “JEDP Theory.” 2009. Theopedia.com. September 28th. 2009.