One Text to Rule Them All? Reflecting on New Testament Textual Criticism and Contextual Biblical Interpretation

Description

In this contribution, I aim to initiate a conversation between New Testament textual criticism and contextual biblical interpretation, two seemingly separate fields. It first points to the contexts and positionality of researchers. Then I will outline the major developments in the history of New Testament textual criticism by focusing on the dominant notion of the one and authoritative text. Next follows a summary of three current trends, which illustrate the awareness of plurality, contextuality, and materiality in contemporary textual scholarship, before demonstrating a new approach towards manuscripts. The famous Codex Vaticanus is used as a case study to show its heterogeneous and multifaceted reception. By way of conclusion, the contribution envisions perspectives for further explorations. On the one hand, contextuality requires epistemological reconsideration of fundamental text-critical notions and issues, and on the other hand, the conversation also invites critical reflection and hermeneutical experiments on contextual biblical scholarship.

Period	29 Jul 2024
Event title	Society of Biblical Literature International Meeting
Event type	Conference
Location	Amsterdam, NetherlandsShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International