The Early Reception History of the Epistle of James

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Tobias Nicklas, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Roman Catholic Theology ; Religious Studies and Jewish Studies
• Term: from 2014 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 245389167

For several decades the Epistle of James attracted little attention in the field of New Testament Studies. Recent years, however, have seen a resurgence of interest in the book. In particular, the important question of the earliest reception history of James has not been adequately pursued. The tendency of research on this question to begin with the first clear references to James in Origen is no longer sufficient in light of the numerous possible allusions to James that one can find in early Christian documents that pre-date Origen. Surprisingly, though, this evidence has never been explored in a thorough and satisfactory way.The project, "The Early Reception History of the Epistle of James", aims at the first comprehensive description and discussion of these allusions with respect to the reception history of James prior and up to Origen's time. In addition to patristic literature, this study will examine several apocryphal texts that have, up to this point, received little attention. The primary goal of the project is to establish which early Christian texts actually contribute to our understanding of the earliest reception of James. These findings can then provide further answers to questions concerning the role that James played in particular historical contexts and theological discourses. In addition, the collected data will possibly offer new evidence regarding the text's origins and its way into the New Testament canon.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Andreas Merkt