Zweifel

Doubt is a signature of modernity. It is currently booming in the entire spectrum of humanities disciplines. In exegesis, however, it still leads a shadowy existence. In this study, Benjamin Schliesser traces expressions of doubt and duality in the early Christian writings and interprets the central statements in their literary and situational context. In addition, he traces lines of development in the history of language, motifs and tradition, draws analogous ideas from ancient religious and intellectual history and captures the reception and continued impact of the New Testament texts in an exemplary manner. Early Christian doubt is also interpreted in the light of its impact on dogmatics and ethics. A surprising wealth of facets emerges in early Christian discourse, in which intellectual, emotional and ethical dissonances find expression and are dealt with in a variety of ways.