New Testament Ethics in Context. Reception and transformation of ancient ethical traditions in emerging Christianity (with particular attention to Pauline Ethics)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Matthias Konradt
• Subject Area: Protestant Theology
• Term: from 2013 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 236587525

This project will pursue a multifaceted approach to New Testament Ethics by bringing together different perspectives of research under the umbrella of analysis of reception and transformation processes: it combines the analysis of the embeddedness of ethical regulations in the respective (theological) constructions of reality with tradition-historical, or religio-historical, as well as socio-historical investigation into the historical preconditions and contexts of the ethical convictions found in emerging Christianity. In particular, this approach addresses the extent to which ethical traditions adopted from the Jewish or pagan environment acquire new accents or are transformed, from the perspective of specifics of the Christian belief system, particularly due to being placed in relation to the Christ event, and take shape under the concrete conditions of life, which are to be analyzed from a socio-historical perspective. The overarching goal of the project is to compose a complete portrayal of New Testament Ethics, long overdue in the history of scholarship. Through a detailed analysis of the processes of interaction between the fundamental beliefs of the Christian construct of reality, ethical traditions of the ancient world, and social constellations, this portrayal will provide new insights into the ethical negotiation processes of emerging Christianity out of which the ethical views that appear in the New Testament developed. A nuanced analysis of Paul's ethical statements constitutes a central component of this project. In contrast to widespread generalizing statements about the fundamental inclusivity or the lack of concrete ethical originality in Pauline ethics, this project will undertake a sophisticated analysis of the extent to which, alongside the indisputable adoption of ethical traditions, new accents and transformations inspired by the construction of reality as oriented around the Christ event are to be found. In so doing, the investigation will not take place on the level of abstract principles alone, but rather will reflect ethical perspectives in relation to various concrete social constellations. Through interconnections with projects already established within the department on Matthew and Luke and their parallel examination of ethical reception and transformation processes in early Christian authors of various theological orientations, I expect further insights into the diversity of modes of interaction with the ethical traditions of the surrounding world.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants