A new paradigm for historical Jesus studies
The main goal of the project is to attempt to construct a new paradigm of historical Jesus studies focusing on the relation between Jesus and the construction of identities in contexts of cultural complexity.
The first context is that of 1st century Palestine and the Mediterranean. In order to grasp the complexity of the Jesus movement and the early Christian groups we will develop intersectionality, a perspective used in gender studies, as a new methodological approach.
Second, we will investigate how images of Jesus contributed to the construction of collective identities in 19th century Europe in interaction with cultural, social and political processes characterized by nationalism, changes in gender roles and in socio-economic structures.
Finally the project will investigate whether the memory of Jesus participates in identity formation among young people living in contemporary situations of 'cultural complexity'.
Cross-disciplinary dialogue
The project places itself in a cross-disciplinary dialogue between Biblical studies and studies of cultural complexity.
Through workshops, larger conferences and continuing seminars we want to engage colleagues nationally and internationally. We will invite students to participate in these events, and in through master level courses and in master theses on related topics.
The project is located at the Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo and collaborates with the Centre for Gender Research, University of Oslo, and the University programme Cultural Complexity in the New Norway, as well as with number of individual international scholars.
The project is financially supported by the Norwegian Research Council
Read the application for the project here.
Organisation
People
On a daily basis, the project is run by a permanent research group located at the faculty of theology at the University of Oslo. This group consists of professor Halvor Moxnes (project leader), dr. theol. Marianne Bjelland Kartzow, researcher, and Annhild Tofte Haga, PhD-fellow (NFR). The project also employs a secretary, Aksel M. Bjerke.
Together with these researchers, three colleagues from the University of Oslo make up the core group that participates in research activities as well as in programme planning and advising: Professor Jorunn Økland (Centre for Gender Research), professor Oddbjørn Leirvik and PhD-fellow Anne Hege Grung (faculty of theology/CulCOM).
In addition, the project engages both national and international collaborators.
See the participants section for more information.
Activites
The project will engage students and national and international researchers through workshops, larger conferences and continuing seminars. We will invite students to participate in these events, and in through master level courses and in master theses on related topics.