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Research project of the Chair of New Testament, Professor Lukas Bormann

[Lukas Bormann]

The Book of Isaiah in Early Christianity: Luke-Acts as a Model for Biblical and Patristic Reception

University of Eastern Finland / Åbo Akademi University / Philipps Universität Marburg

Short summary of the project

This project is founded on the hypothesis that Luke-Acts (100–130 CE) serves as a model for the reception of the Book of Isaiah (BI) in early Christianity. The study aims to evaluate and refine this thesis by analyzing the use of BI in selected Greek, Latin, and Syriac Patristic writings. Beginning with Justin Martyr’s Dialogue with Trypho (155–167 CE), the investigation will extend to the Syriac tradition (Aphrahat, Demonstrations, 335–345 CE), the Greek tradition (Cyril of Jerusalem, Catecheses, 350 CE), and the Latin tradition (Jerome, Commentary on the Book of Isaiah, 410 CE), alongside other key Patristic and early medieval sources, including Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Augustine, and The Rule of St. Benedict.

Through collaboration with Old Testament and Septuagint scholars, New Testament and Patristic scholars will explore central themes such as: (a) the significance of Zion and the temple, (b) the prophetic critique of the temple and Jerusalem’s status quo, and (c) the identification of the true people of God and the role of Gentiles. Key research questions include: Does Luke-Acts serve as a model for later Patristic interpretations of BI? Is there a shared corpus of Isaiah quotations among ancient Jewish and early Christian authors? How does the reception of BI in Luke-Acts connect to its interpretation in Patristic writings?

Early career researchers (ECRs), PhD candidates, and postdoctoral scholars will be fully integrated into this international research initiative, working alongside senior scholars. They will receive training in interdisciplinary collaboration, international academic discourse, and the publication of research findings

Research group (Germany):

  • Prof Dr. Lukas Bormann
  • Prof. Dr. Martin Meiser
  • Post-Doc Christian Wetz 
  • Post-Doc Beatrice Bonanno
  • PD Dr. Guido Baltes
  • PhD-student Lisa Sunnus 
  • PhD-student Timo Felkel

Research group (Finland):

  • Post-Doc Harri Huovinen
  • Post-Doc Topias Tanskanen 
  • Docent Timo Nisula 
  • Docent Dr. Anni Maria Laato 
  • PhD student Simon Johansson
  • Prof. Dr. Antti Laato 
  • Post-Doc Lotta Valve 
  • Post-Doc Joona Salminen

Research topics

Baltes, Guido: Blindness, Sight and the Servant of God in Isaiah and Luke-Acts

Bonanno, Beatrice: The Reception of the Jewish Minor Versions of Isaiah in the Church Fathers (3rd–4th c. CE) with a special emphasis on Eusebius of Caesarea

Bormann, Lukas: From Luke-Acts to Justin Marty: “Hellenization” (W. Jaeger) or “Intellectualization” (H. Leppin) of Early Christianity? 

Felkel, Timo: Doukas Divine Drama

Huovinen, Harri: Sketching the Contours of Cyril of Jerusalem’s Reception of Isaiah

Johansson, Simon: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me’ – The Descent of the Spirit and Its Effects in Early Christian Isaiah-Reception

Laato, Anni Maria: The Christ of Isaiah or the Christ of Marcion? The Use of the Book of Isaiah in Tertullian’s Adversus Marcionem

Laato, Antti: Jerusalem and the Book of Isaiah in Justin Martyr’s Dialogue with Trypho.

Meiser, Martin: References and Allusions on Isaiah in Patristic Reception of Acts

Nisula, Timo: ”Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing” (Isa 52:11): Isaiah and the other Old Testament prophets in the Donatist controversy

Popa, Catalin-Stefan: The Reception of Isaiah in Syriac Patristics and Manuscript Culture: Selected Motifs and Case Studies

Salminen, Joona: Reception of Isaiah in The Rule of St. Benedict

Sunnus, Lisa: Isaiah in Luke’s dialogues: Is 53:12d (καὶ μετὰ ἀνόμων ἐλογίσϑη) in Luke 22:37

Tanskanen, Topias: Reading Biblical History through Isa 65:8: Aphrahat's Reception of Isaiah in Demonstration 23."

Valve, Lotta: Influence of the Book of Isaiah on the Shepherd of Hermas

Wetz, Christian: Salvation for the Nations as a Connecting Theme in Isaiah and in Joseph and Aseneth?