Theme 1: "The discursive fight over religious texts in Antiquity" aims to continue a research work which for a number of years has been given special priority at the Faculty of Theology in Aarhus.

• Antiquity and Christianity
• Critique and apologetics - Jews, Christians and pagans in antiquity
• The discursive fight over religious texts in antiquity
• The publication series "Early Christianity in the Context of Antiquit y" (ECCA)

• Antiquity and Christianity

In 1999 interdepartmental cooperation was initiated at the faculty under the heading "Antiquity and Christianity". The objective was – through monthly seminars – to bring scholars together who were already focusing on antiquity and thus, for one thing, to utilize each other's expertise and, for another, to keep antiquity as a main field research and teaching at the faculty.

Critique and apologetics - Jews, Christians and pagans in antiquity

I 2002 the seminar "Antiquity and Christianity" was chosen by the Dean of the Faculty of Theology as a four-year main research area under the heading " Critique and apologetics – Jews, Christians and pagans in antiquity ".

The aim of the project has been to discuss aspects of the early Christian and Jewish apologetics with special emphasis on the apologies. Because of its status as a main research area, the project was granted financial support, which has made it possible to increase the activities to include international conferences, visits by foreign scholars and the publication of books.

The discursive fight over religious texts in antiquity

The theme "The discursive fight over religious texts in antiquity" is one of the three themes of the Faculty of Theology’s research priority area "Religion and normativity" , which is incorporated in the University of Aarhus Development Contract 2005-2009. It is a natural continuation of the existing work undertaken under the auspices of the main research area as the same group of scholars continue their work. By changing focus from apologetics to the issue of a canon and the discursive fight over religious texts the theme’s work will focus on (a) an analysis of historical factors and (b) a methodical and theoretical reflection. Both focus on (c) the lasting importance of antiquity..

• A. The development of Christianity in antiquity
• B. Crucial concepts and issues
• C. The lasting importance of antiquity
• D: Research plan 2007-2009

The publication series "Early Christianity in the Context of Antiquit y" (ECCA)

The English-language series "Early Christianity in the Context of Antiquity" (ECCA) will help communicate and disseminate the theme’s research findings internationally at a high academic level. The ECCA-series is published by The Peter Lang Publishing Group. See also Current research.

The target audience of a Danish-language series "Antikken og kristendommen" (Antiquity and Christianity) also includes the broad public. This series is published by Forlaget Anis.