The history of Judaism, Christianity and Islam has always been attended by an underlying tension between Hebrew, Greek and Arabic "original texts" and their translations. Out of this tension between canonized texts and changing interpretations, a transformation has taken place that is typical of many religions. Religious texts are transformed through translation and through their reception in different contexts. Their interpretations are shaped by the respective contemporary contexts and at the same time contribute to processes of societal change. The contributions to this volume address the hermeneutical task of forging links between the present day on the one hand and antique bible texts, different stages in the history of their reception and interpretations of the Koran on the other. They present exemplary analyses of texts from the perspectives of the Old and New Testament, patristics, Judaism, Islamic studies, systematic theology and translation science.

Dr. theol. Marianne Grohmann ist Professorin für Altes Testament an der Evangelisch-Theologischen Fakultät der Universität Wien.