A substantial portion of my academic research focuses on a part of the Bible, known as the New Testament. It comprises a collection of relatively short writings from the first and (presumably) second centuries, providing us with insights into the lives and thoughts of early Christians. These texts simultaneously form the basis of Christian theology even today. However, different denominations utilize this foundation in various ways. For instance, in the Catholic Church, ecclesiastical tradition also plays a significant role. Protestant churches handle this differently, primarily because Martin Luther famously emphasized "Scripture alone" (sola scriptura) as the foundation of theology.
Of course, different Protestant movements themselves interpret this foundational principle very diversely, depending on their hermeneutical approach. For example, conservative evangelical movements assume the inerrancy of Scripture and often directly apply many statements and instructions to contemporary life without significant contextual adjustments. University theology in German-speaking regions has long operated within a "historical-critical" paradigm. Critics often portray this approach as simply dissecting and relativizing the Bible. I find this unfair. Taking texts seriously must also mean carefully analyzing their historical embeddedness. The authors (presumably all men) and their recipients lived in a completely different era from ours. Who among us today faces the problem (as the Christians in Corinth did, to whom the Apostle Paul wrote) of being invited to birthday celebrations where meat from animals sacrificed to idols is served? But yes, recognizing that these texts often have highly specific connections to ancient contexts at least initially makes them seem foreign to us. This undoubtedly complicates the direct application of individual verses to our everyday lives. Yet, intellectual honesty and respect for these texts and their authors make this analysis essential in my view. Therefore, my research investigates precisely how these biblical stories are told, stories that continue to shape us today. I also explore how the early Christians lived as a minority in the Roman Empire, a political system very different from the one we inhabit today.
However, when viewing these analyses from biblical studies within the context of Christian theology, a crucial question arises: how (or whether at all!) we can move from these highly specific results to the contemporary world we inhabit. This issue is typically addressed by Systematic Theology (divided into dogmatics and ethics) within theological faculties. Yet, in my opinion, biblical scholars who work in such realms should not completely retreat to merely answering historical questions. After all, no one knows these texts better than they do. Therefore, it seems to me simply unfair to leave this task entirely to colleagues in Systematic Theology. At least, biblical scholars should point out issues that appear potentially highly relevant for broader theological discussions due to their close familiarity with the texts. This is precisely why I also engage intensively with artificial intelligence. On the one hand, AI could hardly be more distant from coins, papyrus fragments, and archaeological data, which I typically deal with. On the other hand, it is precisely this contrast, which stands out so clearly before my eyes, between the "dusty" texts and the shiny new technology, that reveals to me that there is a tension here which might be worth exploring.
As I recently announced, my research on this topic is now generously supported by a wonderful fellowship from the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities. This allows me to discuss AI in dialogue with experts from various fields. A new issue of the journal "auge" (1/2025), which aims to provide broader public access to current theological debates beyond academia, has just been published. The current issue deals with "Future, Hope, Eschatology," and I had the privilege to sketch my ideas for a "Theology of the Future." In my brief article, I outline how I envision such a theology of the future. Thanks to the editors' generosity, my article is freely accessible online. You can read or download it here.
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