The Old Testament
At the Faculty of Theology, researchers in the Old Testament focus particularly on Biblical and Near Eastern wisdom literature and apocalyptic literature, as well as the question of what is good and relevant to the present in these texts – so-called hermeneutics.
The research area the Old Testament (OT) has long been expressly interdisciplinary. The area consists of linguistic, literary, historical, religious-historical and theological components, which form three different scholarly sectors:
- Near Eastern languages, primarily Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic, but also old Semitic languages (Accadian, Ugaritic, Syriac). In addition Greek and Latin.
- History: political history, cultural history, including archeology.
- Textual interpretation, or exegesis, is the traditionally largest sector. Here the subject works with contemporary text and interpretation theories. In addition, it works with genres and motifs in literary historical and comparative perspective.
- Making a gathered presentation, interpretation and evaluation of the religion of Ancient Israel, and of the theology of the writings of the OT. Here insights from all the sectors of the area meet, and this is where the area gives its clearest contribution to the discussion of Theology and religion today.
Besides these main sectors, the area also includes textual criticism (knowledge of the textual tradition), Biblical translation, and the study of the reception history of the texts in Church and Culture.
The subject is in a process of change that has been going on for some decades. OT research at the Faculty of Theology today is particularly characterized by renewed historical studies, and by ideological-critical and hermeneutic impulses, including postcolonial studies.
Work on interpretation theory (hermeneutics and epistemology) has long been central at the Faculty of Theology. One of the most important insights of these field is that the very task of interpretation has ethical and political dimensions.
Permanent staff connected to the research area:
- Knut Espen Arnesen, Lecturer
- Martin Hauge, Senior Professor
- Helge Steinar Kvanvig, Professor
- Terje Stordalen, Professor
International Networks: