The Core of the Book of Deuteronomy and its World 

Programme

Whereas the framework of Deuteronomy has received much attention (for instance the SBL consultation chaired by Cynthia Edenburg and Reinhard Müller) this new workshop is attentive to the core of the Book of Deuteronomy, the so-called legal collection (Deuteronomy 12—26/28). Rather than the relation of this ‘law code’ with other biblical ‘codes’ or with ancient Near Eastern treaties, we want to explore the internal coherence of these prescriptions and to take a close look at the world that is imagined to be regulated by them. We also want to explore how this legal core relates to the notion of ‘Israel’ presented in the framework of the book.

Chairs

Kåre Berge, NLA University College, Bergen

Philippe Guillaume, University of Berne

Sessions

Berlin 2017

Call for Papers

For the Berlin conference, we invite presentations in English dealing with the apparent tension between the utopian character of the society that is imagined in these ‘laws’ and their focus on down-to-earth politics and economics, and on the relation of this ‘utopian’ society to the ‘Israel’ of the book’s framework.

We also welcome papers dealing with the society envisioned when the ‘legal’ core is read as a part of Deuteronomy as a whole.

As swift publication of accepted papers presented in the sessions is planned, we expect potential authors to supply final versions within a month after the conference. To enhance the benefit of congenial exchange during the conference, drafts will be circulated in advance among all the presenters and to interested members of the audience (please request drafts from the chairs in the weeks preceding the conference).