Theology

In the exegetical literature, Plutarch's Parallel Lives are often used as comparative texts for the Gospels. But how can and should the comparison between the Gospels and the Vitae be carried out, and what benefits can be gained from it? - In an examination of the research debate on the genre affiliation of the Gospels, David Staub develops his own approach, which he presents and tests using a comparison between Plutarch's Life of Numa and the Gospel of Luke as an example.

In this study, Andreas M. Wagner examines the significance of the Slavonic Enoch for understanding ancient Judaism and the environment of the New Testament. His focus lies on Enoch's role between angels and humans and the depiction of the heavenly world.

Nadine Hamilton examines how we can speak of God's presence in the world in a contemporary context. She emphasizes the often-overlooked relationship between the doctrine of creation and Christology, especially its ethical and political dimensions and develops a Christology that relates creation to the Creator, linking dogmatic issues to their social implications.

In his letters from 1694-1696, Philipp Jakob Spener, the driving force behind the Pietist movement, presents himself as a committed author of controversial writings on topics that were contentious in the Pietist environment. He proves to be a strategist for the appointment of theological chairs in Halle and Giessen and pastorates in Brandenburg. Volume 2 of the »Letters from the Berlin Period« contains 212 letters from the years 1694-1696.