Current state of Pentateuch research

John Van Seters socio-historical study of the Pentateuch will be re-issued in October of this year.

The basic scheme is as follows:
= Dtrn (7th century)
= Josh to 2nd Kings (= DtrH the deuteronomistic historian) (early exilic period)
= Gen/Ex/Lev/Num (formerly J) (late exilic period)
= Pentateuch redaction under P in post-exilic times

The biggest worry I have with this is that it puts the Davidic/Salomonic United Kingdom too late. Under this view, it is not a theological retroprojection of the Josianic Reform movement that is to be restored, but entirely without historical context. That's a bit too radical even for my tastes.

(see the 2004 edition http://books.google.at/books… for details)