Om receptionsforskningens bidrag till bibelvetenskapen

Förnyelse och relevans

Abstract

In this paper, I develop some insights that I touched upon in my farewell lecture at the time of my retirement. I adduce several arguments in favor of the thesis that an important key to a prosperous future for biblical studies lies in sustained efforts to promote the growing field of re-ception studies. The first part of the paper revolves around two fundamental aspects: the need for renewal of biblical studies as a discipline, and the call for relevance in the tough competition about funding. With the help of a selection of recent publications, including thematic issues of Svensk Exegetisk Årsbok as well as doctoral dissertations from Swedish universities, it is demonstrated that the field of reception history is a rich source of material and ideas for new research. In addition, I argue that projects involving studies of biblical reception tend to be perceived as particularly relevant, from a societal as well as an academic perspective. This is, to a large extent, due to the inherently multidisciplinary character of such studies. In the concluding part of the paper, I introduce an analogy with DNA research. This unconventional metaphorical comparison is part of an attempt to redefine the place and role of reception history within the discipline of biblical studies as a whole.