Sexual Behavior in the Bible and Its Context(s)

Programme

This workshop seeks to better understand the topics of sex, sexuality, and gender in both the Hebrew Bible and New Testament (as well as their ancient contests) using various approaches to biblical texts, extrabiblical texts, and archaeological remains. Discussion on these topics is usually centered on sexuality either on the condemnation or vindication of homosexuality. Moreover, research is often limited to either texts or archaeology. This overshadows the complexity of sexual behavior, experiences, and identities in antiquity.  Therefore, this workshop has been established to encourage and pioneer new boundaries in the interdisciplinary studies of sexuality and gender studies. The workshop will encompass sociological, psychological, cultural, anthropological, linguistical, feminist and queer approaches – bringing together the many voices in order to uncover new fields and shed new light on open questions. 

Keywords:

Chairs

Christopher Ryan Jones 

University of Mainz

Dvir Shalem
University of Würzburg 

Bruno Biermann
University of Bern

Member Area

Toulouse 2022 Call for Papers

The workshop encourages studies reconstructing historical concepts and lived realities of ancient people. Simultaneously, we strive for the intersection of traditional historic-critical methods along with more contemporary methodologies such as: gender/feminist criticism, including queer and masculinity studies, as well as those using psychological and sociological approaches.

Some of the questions we seek to address are: How do gender and sexual expression differ in the biblical text from our modern understandings? How do text on sexual behavior correlate or contradict between the Hebrew Bible and New Testament? In what ways do extrabiblical sources or the archaeological record expound on these sexual texts? What do these texts tell us about sexual behavior in the ancient world? How have the religious traditions of commentators affected their interpretation of these texts? Abstracts of not more than 300 words should be submitted through the 2022 abstract management system.