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Religions
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New Testament Studies—Current Trends and Criticisms—2nd Edition
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New Testament Studies—Current Trends and Criticisms—2nd Edition

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 6634

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Susanne Luther

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Guest Editor
Department of New Testament Studies, Theological Faculty, Göttingen University, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Interests: hermeneutics; dis/ability; intertextuality; spatial turn
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Clarissa Breu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of New Testament Studies, Theological Faculty, Göttingen University, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Interests: postcolonial theory; queer hermeneutics; reception
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Birke Siggelkow-Berner

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of New Testament Studies, Theological Faculty, Göttingen University, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Interests: ancient Judaism; John within Judaism; intertextuality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A significant body of scholarship is dedicated to situating the research area of New Testament studies within current challenges and debates using a wide range of theoretical approaches to ancient texts. Thus, our discipline is multifaceted, and a relevant participant in and shaper of our changing society.

In this Special Issue, scholars will provide a wide range of approaches to New Testament texts to assess the ways that these texts are relevant to current debates. Different hermeneutical lenses will be applied and evaluated to question the alleged divide between historically and theoretically oriented methods. This aims to demonstrate that current theoretical trends such as disability studies, ecological hermeneutics, affect theory and intersectionality, among others, do not bypass history, and can connect the past to the present in methodologically reflected ways.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute original research articles to this Special Issue of Religions, which shows the relevance of our research area and offers easily accessible explanations and applications of new theories that also point to the actuality of New Testament texts. The aim of this Special Issue is to present a variety of articles that introduce a broad spectrum of current theoretical approaches to New Testament texts, apply them to one or more particular NT passages and end with a conclusion on the question of how historical context and current theory can interact fruitfully.

The approaches reflected in this Special Issue relate to the scope of Religions in that they are essentially based on interdisciplinary research, and focus on hermeneutics and a critical engagement with New Testament texts and the scholarly debate around them.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Susanne Luther
Dr. Clarissa Breu
Dr. Birke Siggelkow-Berner
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • theories
  • methods
  • hermeneutics
  • New Testament

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 4548 KB  
Article
Attention to the Body: Embodiment and Corporeality Through the Lens of Gesture
by Clarissa Breu
Religions 2026, 17(4), 464; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17040464 - 8 Apr 2026
Viewed by 332
Abstract
In this article, New Testament scholarship on embodiment and corporeality is discussed, systematized and evaluated. The example of the Judas kiss and its reception in Caravaggio’s The Taking of Christ demonstrates that the lens of embodiment is important in the analysis of New [...] Read more.
In this article, New Testament scholarship on embodiment and corporeality is discussed, systematized and evaluated. The example of the Judas kiss and its reception in Caravaggio’s The Taking of Christ demonstrates that the lens of embodiment is important in the analysis of New Testament texts. This lens focuses on bodies, and their relational construction through texts. It shows that an approach to gesture, based on Judith Butler’s theory of gesture, which has not been the center of attention so far, is a useful addition to the lens of embodiment because it helps to see texts and their material afterlives in continuation with each other. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Testament Studies—Current Trends and Criticisms—2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 331 KB  
Article
The Eclipse of Biblical Temporality: Absolute Chronology and Relative Time in 2 Maccabees and the Fourth Gospel
by Douglas Estes
Religions 2026, 17(4), 412; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17040412 - 24 Mar 2026
Viewed by 284
Abstract
Modern, post-Scaliger expectations for constructing an absolute chronology out of ancient biblical narratives introduce a fallacy of assumed time that distorts the reading of these narratives. While absolute chronology undergirds historical-critical interpretation from Spinoza and Reimarus to twentieth-century scholarship, the more recent “temporal [...] Read more.
Modern, post-Scaliger expectations for constructing an absolute chronology out of ancient biblical narratives introduce a fallacy of assumed time that distorts the reading of these narratives. While absolute chronology undergirds historical-critical interpretation from Spinoza and Reimarus to twentieth-century scholarship, the more recent “temporal turn” in philosophy, historiography, and literary theory aligns with a renewed attention to narrative time and ancient temporal consciousness. Focusing on 2 Maccabees and the Gospel of John as historiographical narratives reveals how both texts configure events through relative temporal devices—such as temporal markers and temporal process verbs—rather than through absolute calendrical dating, even when coordinates appear in 2 Maccabees’ embedded letters. Building on this comparison allows for a dimensional model of time that respects these configurational strategies and avoids obscuring how these texts construct theological and historical meaning within their own narrative worlds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Testament Studies—Current Trends and Criticisms—2nd Edition)
13 pages, 271 KB  
Article
Approaches Old and New in Twenty-First Century New Testament Textual Criticism
by Dieter T. Roth
Religions 2026, 17(3), 400; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17030400 - 21 Mar 2026
Viewed by 578
Abstract
New Testament textual criticism in the twenty-first century continues to refine principles and approaches that have been part of this scholarly discipline since the development of the modern era of textual criticism. At the same time, even as New Testament textual criticism remains [...] Read more.
New Testament textual criticism in the twenty-first century continues to refine principles and approaches that have been part of this scholarly discipline since the development of the modern era of textual criticism. At the same time, even as New Testament textual criticism remains connected to its roots in pursuing the (re)construction of a critical text of the New Testament, more recent approaches have expanded the set of questions being asked by textual critics to include far more than simply the words of a New Testament text. In all of these developments, there is both “Old” in the “New” and “New” in the “Old,” resulting in New Testament textual criticism in the twenty-first century having become not only one of the more vibrant fields in New Testament studies but also having captured the popular imagination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Testament Studies—Current Trends and Criticisms—2nd Edition)
24 pages, 438 KB  
Article
Affective Neuroscience, Moral Psychology, and Emotions in 2 Cor 7:5–16
by Marcin Kowalski, Mariusz G. Karbowski and Julia Gorbaniuk
Religions 2025, 16(12), 1567; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16121567 - 12 Dec 2025
Viewed by 1253
Abstract
The authors examine the emotions contained in 2 Cor 7:5–16. They refer to the nativist approach, in particular to Jaak Panksepp’s theory of primary emotions and Jonathan Haidt’s five foundations of morality. The emotions of Paul, Titus, and the Corinthians described in 2 [...] Read more.
The authors examine the emotions contained in 2 Cor 7:5–16. They refer to the nativist approach, in particular to Jaak Panksepp’s theory of primary emotions and Jonathan Haidt’s five foundations of morality. The emotions of Paul, Titus, and the Corinthians described in 2 Cor 7:5–16 can be classified into Panksepp’s categories of FEAR/anxiety, GRIEF/separation distress, CARE/nurturing, and RAGE/anger. They serve as a response to the pain and threat posed by the community’s separation from Paul and aim to repair and strengthen the family/parental relationship with the apostle. Following Haidt’s typology, most of the emotions in 2 Cor 7:5–16 can be located in the care/harm module, related to Paul’s care about his spiritual children in Corinth. In addition, other modules can be engaged to link various emotions in 2 Cor 7:5–15: fairness/reciprocity, focused on reciprocal altruism, in-group/loyalty, reinforcing mutual loyalty, authority/respect, working for Paul’s authority in Corinth, and purity/sanctity serving the holiness of the community and their belonging to Christ. The nativist approach to Pauline emotions smoothly transitions into a socio-cultural approach, pointing to their complementarity. This combination allows for the appreciation for the role of emotions in making moral judgments and helps understand the similarities and differences between ancient and modern views of emotionality. It also aids in grasping the interconnectedness and adaptive functions of emotions, serving the individual and the community. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Testament Studies—Current Trends and Criticisms—2nd Edition)
19 pages, 350 KB  
Article
Rethinking New Testament Exegesis Through a Dis/Ability-Informed Lens: Conceptual Insights, Research Trajectories, and Interpretive Examples
by Susanne Luther
Religions 2025, 16(12), 1536; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16121536 - 5 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 745
Abstract
The hermeneutical engagement with biblical texts informed by Dis/ability Studies expands the framework of historical-critical exegesis by introducing a perspective that seeks to deconstruct those conceptualizations and power structures which contribute to the stigmatization and discrimination of individuals who do not conform to [...] Read more.
The hermeneutical engagement with biblical texts informed by Dis/ability Studies expands the framework of historical-critical exegesis by introducing a perspective that seeks to deconstruct those conceptualizations and power structures which contribute to the stigmatization and discrimination of individuals who do not conform to the socioculturally constructed ideals of normalcy and autonomy. This article offers an overview of current scholarship on the subject and highlights the opportunities and possibilities for new interpretive directions opened up by a dis/ability-critical hermeneutic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Testament Studies—Current Trends and Criticisms—2nd Edition)
16 pages, 938 KB  
Article
Contextual Approaches in Biblical Exegesis—An Exploration and Exemplification
by Jörg Frey, Kyung Min Kim and Tsion Seyoum Meren
Religions 2025, 16(10), 1245; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16101245 - 29 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2302
Abstract
The article is focused on the recent exegetical trend of “contextual” readings of the Bible, or context-sensitive exegesis in global Biblical scholarship. It is written by three authors from different ethnic and cultural contexts (German, Korean, Ethiopian) in order to emphasize the diversity [...] Read more.
The article is focused on the recent exegetical trend of “contextual” readings of the Bible, or context-sensitive exegesis in global Biblical scholarship. It is written by three authors from different ethnic and cultural contexts (German, Korean, Ethiopian) in order to emphasize the diversity to be considered. In the first part, the aims, history and relevant factors of contextual reading are described. The second part makes clear that also the traditional historical-critical exegesis is strongly contextual, drawing on Enlightenment thought and Western views of life. Therefore, any claims of “objectivity” or universality are problematic. In the third and fourth section of the article, two different contexts from global Christianity or the Majority World are introduced. first the African, especially Ethiopian context under the label of “vulnerability”, and then an Asian, precisely South Korean context with regard to the understanding of spirits and demons. The Ethiopian author describes how vulnerability has generally shaped the African cultural experience and specifically common language in Ethiopia, including religious attitudes which are characterized by a general openness for the divine. She also shows, that in such a culture, with the danger of naivete and acceptance of many problematic interpretations critical discernment is needed, as has already been stated by an Ethiopian philosopher of the 17th century. The part on Korean interpretation discusses the various views on spirits and demons in Korean Bible translations and the influence of Confucian thought and Shamanism on readings of the Bible. Using the example of the Gerasene demoniac, the author shows readers aware of shamanic ritual including pigs and intended to pacify the restless souls can impact the reading of this particular Biblical text even among modern Koreans. A brief concluding section draws some conclusions. Both examples demonstrate the diversity of contexts and their resonances with the Biblical texts when they are read in these different contexts. It is also obvious that there is not a single clear-cut dualism between Western and “postcolonial” readings. Neither the historical readings nor the contextual are “right” as such. Rather, there should be an open dialogue, on equal footing, that considers the context and also allows for critical interaction in order to prevent abuse of biblical texts, not only in colonial relations, but also within a given context by traditionalists, political powers, and spiritual authorities, so that the liberating power of the gospel can come into effect, for the benefit its readers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Testament Studies—Current Trends and Criticisms—2nd Edition)
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