Biblical Studies

The subject of Biblical Studies, also known as exegesis, focuses on research into biblical texts, studied in their original languages. Biblical texts here refer to writings that are part of the Jewish and/or (some version of) Christian canon. A variety of theories and methods are used to illuminate different aspects of these texts, such as their cultural background and history of origin, their linguistic structure, their literary and rhetorical forms, and their reception (interpretation and impact) over more than two thousand years. The work of a biblical scholar also includes hermeneutical and translation-theoretical reflections, as well as critical studies of the theology and ideology of biblical texts.

The research subject of Biblical Studies consists of two specializations: Hebrew Bible Exegesis and New Testament Exegesis.

Hebrew Bible Exegesis includes the study of the texts in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, as well as relevant literature from ancient cultures in Southwest Asia. It also includes research on early Jewish texts. Current research in Uppsala covers the following areas, among others: prophecy, sacrificial rituals, spatiality in temple descriptions, inclusion and exclusion during the Persian period, rabbinical interpretation of scripture, children’s perspectives on biblical texts, reception in fiction and film, and newspaper debates on the Old Testament image of God and view of humanity.

New Testament exegesis includes the study of the texts of the New Testament, as well as relevant contemporary Jewish, Hellenistic, and Roman literature. It also includes research on early Christian texts. Current research in Uppsala covers the following areas, among others: rhetoric and theology in the Pauline epistles, the historical Jesus, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Essenes, the Spirit in Paul and John, linguistic expressions of faith, intertextuality in Pistis Sophia, and the theme of persecution in the New Testament and early Christian literature.