Jesus in Cultural Complexity: Interpretation, Memory and identification. Towards A New Paradigm for Historical Jesus Studies

The project will develop intersectional approaches from modern gender studies into a methodology for a study of the Jesus movement, and analyse Early Christian texts that contain multiple identity indicators. In a criticism of the positivist approach in m ost historical Jesus studies the project will integrate the historical study of Jesus with more philosophical discussion of how various images of Jesus in recent studies take contrasting positions in the ongoing conflicts over identities. Finally the pro ject will investigate identity formations among young people living in situations of 'cultural complexity'. The project participates in various international initiatives for methodological renewals of studies of the Jesus movement, and places itself in a cross-disciplinary dialogue between Biblical studies and studies of cultural complexity.