Books by Annette Schellenberg-Lagler
the scope and conduct a conference on epistemologies in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Israel, and G... more the scope and conduct a conference on epistemologies in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Israel, and Greece at the University of Wuppertal in June 2022. The present book results mainly from this conference and includes a few additional papers that could not be presented there. Our thanks go to all our authors for their stimulating contributions. In addition, we thank the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation for providing financial support for the 2017 conference at Aarhus University, the North-West University for providing financial support for the 2020-workshop in Potchefstroom, and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for providing financial support for the 2022 conference at the University of Wuppertal. Last but not least, our thanks go to Dr. Søren Lorenzen (Bonn) and Niklas von Hülsen (Vienna) for their help with editing this volume and to the editors of the ORA series for accepting the volume. Several other colleagues contributed to the fruitful exchange at the 2017 conference in Aarhus and the 2022 conference in Wuppertal. We would like to thank
SBR 8, de Gruyter 2023, 2023
Verschiedentlich stösst man im Alten Testament auf den Gedanken einer Sonderstellung des Menschen... more Verschiedentlich stösst man im Alten Testament auf den Gedanken einer Sonderstellung des Menschen, so besonders deutlich in Genesis 1 («Bild Gottes»), Genesis 2-3 («sein wie Gott») und Psalm 8 («nur wenig geringer als Gott»). Doch was hat es mit dem Gedanken einer Sonderstellung des Menschen eigentlich genau auf sich? Dieser Frage geht Annette Schellenberg in ihrem Buch nach. Sie konzentriert sich dabei nicht nur auf das Alte Testament, sondern berücksichtigt Texte (und Bilder) aus dem gesamten Alten Orient.
Ein systematischer Überblick zeigt, dass sich die Vorstellung einer Sonderstellung des Menschen im Alten Orient auf unterschiedliche Arten niedergeschlagen hat. Dabei fällt auf, dass diese Vorstellung an sich weitverbreitet war, aber nur sehr selten explizit ausformuliert wurde. Ein weiterer Blick auf «Gegentexte» zeigt, dass dieses Ungleichgewicht weniger mit Vorstellungen zum Verhältnis Mensch-Tier zu tun hat, sondern primär mit Verengungen im Menschenbegriff und Vorstellungen zu Sonderstellungen gewisser Menschen.
"In a number of Old Testament texts, mostly in sapiential writings, but also in prophetic and apo... more "In a number of Old Testament texts, mostly in sapiential writings, but also in prophetic and apocalyptical literature, the possibility of human cognition is no longer taken for granted but recognized as a problem and reflected upon as such. This study investigates the Old Testament’s awareness of the problem of human cognition and evidences an intensive debate, in which different positions are taken, some of which are in conscious dialogue with others.
In order to understand the discussion both in its depth as well as in its polyphony, different contributions are distinguished. The Book of Qohelet receives more detailed study, while five other contributions, each representing a unique and particular position regarding the issue of cognition, are then compared: “Job literature”, “theological” wisdom, Gen. 2–3 and related texts, prophetical and apocalyptical literature. The book analyzes each voice with the aim of highlighting individual characteristics as well as the relations to other contributions."
Papers by Annette Schellenberg-Lagler
in: Ancient Epistemologies (ORA 58), ed. by Jan Dietrich, Annette Schellenberg-Lagler, Thomas Wagner, Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2024
In: Wiener Jahrbuch für Theologie 14 (2023), 177-200
This article recalls two of the most important insights of critical biblical scholarship: the Bib... more This article recalls two of the most important insights of critical biblical scholarship: the Bible's historical relativity and its theological diversity. Focusing on the Old Testament, it shows what these insights entail, how they conflict with traditional assumptions about the Bible, how they enable us to appreciate it in new ways, and thereby are significant also theologically. The article concludes with some reflections on the canon and the understanding of the Bible as »Holy Scripture.«
In: Menschsein in Weisheit und Freiheit by Veronika Bachmann, Annette Schellenberg and Frank Ueberschaer, 2022
Go (7:i) to the ant, you lazybones; consider (mn) its ways, and be wise (o:m). 7 Without having a... more Go (7:i) to the ant, you lazybones; consider (mn) its ways, and be wise (o:m). 7 Without having any chief or officer or ruler, 8 it prepares its food in summer, and gathers its sustenance in harvest. 9 How long will you lie there, 0 lazybones? When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want, like an armed warrior.
Laut der priesterschriftlichen Urgeschichte wurde der Mensch als »Bild Gottes« erschaffen (Gen 1,... more Laut der priesterschriftlichen Urgeschichte wurde der Mensch als »Bild Gottes« erschaffen (Gen 1,26f.; 5,1; 9,6). Die Aussagen sind recht knapp und werden unterschiedlich interpretiert. 1 Dass die Gottebenbildlichkeit den Menschen nach der Priesterschrift in besonderer Weise auszeichnet, steht aber außer Frage. Innerhalb des Alten Testaments hat die priesterschriftliche Vorstellung einer Gottebenbildlichkeit des Menschen fast kein Echo gefunden, 2 umso größer ist der Nachhall dafür in der späteren Rezeptionsgeschichte. 3 Seit der Aufklärung wird die Vorstellung, dass der Mensch als »Bild Gottes« erschaffen ist,
Despite its general ease in making affirmative statements about God, the Hebrew Bible also contai... more Despite its general ease in making affirmative statements about God, the Hebrew Bible also contains texts and traditions that can be regarded as containing traces of negative theology. Most important in this regard are the prohibition of images, the statement "I am who I am" (Ex 3:13), the narration about Moses only being allowed to see YHWH from behind (Ex 33), the story of Elijah at Mount Horeb and God's unconventional theophany (1 Kgs 19), the tradition of YHWH's incomparability, reflections on the human incapacity to discern God, and the juxtaposition of different metaphors about God. None of these texts and traditions deny the possibility of affirmative statements about God. However, they point to the inadequacy of affirmative statements about God and/or the incapacity of humans to fully understand God-traces of negative theology. Traces d'une théologie négative dans la Bible hébraïque Malgré ses affirmations positives sur Dieu, la Bible hébraïque contient des textes et des traditions qui peuvent être considérés comme les traces d'une théologie négative. On pense à l'interdiction des images divines, au récit contenant l'affirmation « je suis qui je suis » (Ex 3,13), celui ne permettant à Moïse que de contempler Dieu par derrière (Ex 33), ou encore la narration concernant Élie sur le mont Horeb (1 R 19), la tradition de l'incomparabilité divine, l'incapacité humaine de discerner, enfin la juxtaposition des différentes métaphores au sujet de Dieu. Ces textes ne dénient pas la possibilité d'énoncés positifs, mais ils soulignent l'inadéquation de ces énoncés, d'une part, et, d'autre part, l'incapacité humaine à pleinement saisir Dieu. Revue de l'his toire des reli gions, 237-2/2020, p. 239 à 257 * I thank Erich Lagler for quickening my interest in negative theology. I thank the students who participated in my seminar "Ansätze negativer Theologie im Alten Testament"; they pointed out to me interesting details and helped me clarify my views on the texts and traditions discussed in this article. I thank my colleague Marianne Grohmann and the students in our doctoral seminar who discussed the article with me; I thank Esther Ramharter, Sarah Shectman, Tyler Duckworth, and Sarah Herzog for helpful feedback and careful editing.
in: I. Fischer / U.Poplutz (eds.), Sexualität (JBTh 33/2018), Göttingen: Vandenhock & Ruprecht 2020, 65–83, 2020
Published in: VT 70 (2020), 177-192, 2020
This article argues that Song of Songs 3:7-11 is a mocking song about King Solomon and was not or... more This article argues that Song of Songs 3:7-11 is a mocking song about King Solomon and was not originally connected with 3:6. After presenting aspects of 3:7-11 that might convey criticism of Solomon, the thesis is further substantiated by observations showing that taking Solomon as a cipher for the nonroyal human lover or a divine lover does not work in this passage. The article concludes by pointing out some consequences of this analysis for the overall understanding of the Song.
in: Sounding Sensory Profiles in the Ancient Near East (ANEM 25), ed. T. Krüger and A. Schellenberg), 2019
This article discusses how the senses play a role in the Song of Songs on different levels: They ... more This article discusses how the senses play a role in the Song of Songs on different levels: They are important in descriptions of sensory experiences and desires of the text’s protagonists; these descriptions reflect cultural preconceptions of the senses; and they stimulate the sensory imagination of the readers, thereby building a bridge between the world of the text’s protagonists and its recipients.
A PDF of the article and the entire volume can be found here: https://www.sbl-site.org/publications/Books_ANEmonographs.aspx
Vetus Testamentum, 2018
Pointing to erotic passages in some of the wisdom books, a growing number of scholars argue that ... more Pointing to erotic passages in some of the wisdom books, a growing number of scholars argue that the Song of Songs is sapiential. As an alternative explanation for the similarities between the Song and Proverbs 1–9 and Sirach, this article argues that verses like Prov 5:19 might have originated as a critical reaction to the Song’s eroticism.
Beyond explaining the erotic passages in Proverbs and Sirach, this thesis is significant in that it implies that the authors of Proverbs and Sirach still understood the Song “literally” rather than allegorically, as did later interpreters.
Pubished in ThZ 74 (2018), 48-68., 2018
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Books by Annette Schellenberg-Lagler
Edited by Annette Schellenberg and Thomas Krüger
ANEM 25, 2019
Free download: https://www.sbl-site.org/publications/Books_ANEmonographs.aspx
Ein systematischer Überblick zeigt, dass sich die Vorstellung einer Sonderstellung des Menschen im Alten Orient auf unterschiedliche Arten niedergeschlagen hat. Dabei fällt auf, dass diese Vorstellung an sich weitverbreitet war, aber nur sehr selten explizit ausformuliert wurde. Ein weiterer Blick auf «Gegentexte» zeigt, dass dieses Ungleichgewicht weniger mit Vorstellungen zum Verhältnis Mensch-Tier zu tun hat, sondern primär mit Verengungen im Menschenbegriff und Vorstellungen zu Sonderstellungen gewisser Menschen.
In order to understand the discussion both in its depth as well as in its polyphony, different contributions are distinguished. The Book of Qohelet receives more detailed study, while five other contributions, each representing a unique and particular position regarding the issue of cognition, are then compared: “Job literature”, “theological” wisdom, Gen. 2–3 and related texts, prophetical and apocalyptical literature. The book analyzes each voice with the aim of highlighting individual characteristics as well as the relations to other contributions."
Papers by Annette Schellenberg-Lagler
A PDF of the article and the entire volume can be found here: https://www.sbl-site.org/publications/Books_ANEmonographs.aspx
Beyond explaining the erotic passages in Proverbs and Sirach, this thesis is significant in that it implies that the authors of Proverbs and Sirach still understood the Song “literally” rather than allegorically, as did later interpreters.
Edited by Annette Schellenberg and Thomas Krüger
ANEM 25, 2019
Free download: https://www.sbl-site.org/publications/Books_ANEmonographs.aspx
Ein systematischer Überblick zeigt, dass sich die Vorstellung einer Sonderstellung des Menschen im Alten Orient auf unterschiedliche Arten niedergeschlagen hat. Dabei fällt auf, dass diese Vorstellung an sich weitverbreitet war, aber nur sehr selten explizit ausformuliert wurde. Ein weiterer Blick auf «Gegentexte» zeigt, dass dieses Ungleichgewicht weniger mit Vorstellungen zum Verhältnis Mensch-Tier zu tun hat, sondern primär mit Verengungen im Menschenbegriff und Vorstellungen zu Sonderstellungen gewisser Menschen.
In order to understand the discussion both in its depth as well as in its polyphony, different contributions are distinguished. The Book of Qohelet receives more detailed study, while five other contributions, each representing a unique and particular position regarding the issue of cognition, are then compared: “Job literature”, “theological” wisdom, Gen. 2–3 and related texts, prophetical and apocalyptical literature. The book analyzes each voice with the aim of highlighting individual characteristics as well as the relations to other contributions."
A PDF of the article and the entire volume can be found here: https://www.sbl-site.org/publications/Books_ANEmonographs.aspx
Beyond explaining the erotic passages in Proverbs and Sirach, this thesis is significant in that it implies that the authors of Proverbs and Sirach still understood the Song “literally” rather than allegorically, as did later interpreters.
For more information, see here: https://religion-in-europe.univie.ac.at/