Estudos Bíblicos

Expediente - v. 40, n. 150 (2024)

Estudos Bíblicos — 2025-05-26

Expediente - v. 40, n. 150 (2024)

Editorial. Dossier: Bible, science, denialism and fundamentalism

Sílvia Regina Nunes da Rosa Togneri — 2025-05-26

Editorial, v. 40 n. 150 (2024).

Nominata - avaliadores ad hoc (2024)

Estudos Bíblicos — 2025-05-26

Nominata - avaliadores ad hoc (2024)

A normatização do casamento judaíta no Deuteronômio (séculos VIII-V a.C.)

Fernando Mattiolli Vieira — 2025-05-26

Marriage found in biblical traditions has become a paradigmatic model in Western societies up to the present day. Its definition usually varies according to the historical context, but in all contexts marriage has as its main purpose the family institution. Its most primitive history is the result of a political-religious construction coming from the Deuteronomy source, more precisely one of its parts known as the Deuteronomic Code, which included, for the first time in the biblical tradition, legislation aimed at marriage. The objective of this legislation was to create a Judahite identity in the face of a diffuse social and ethnic framework that was established in the Levant between the 8th and 5th centuries BC. In view of this, we will analyze the legal evolution of marriage in the Israelite tradition and the elements that promoted the construction of a new identity. To do so, we will use the concept of representation found in Roger Chartier, which makes it possible to understand how social transformations could be represented as identity signs. The main hypothesis reached with this approach is that marriage was part of a project of national resignification and that its institution promoted an identity delineated from an ethnic-religious conjuncture.

Between silence and interpretation: homosexuality in the Holy Scriptures and the lack of direct condemnation

Luiz Carlos Nunes da Silva — 2025-05-26

This study examines hermeneutical misconceptions in traditional interpretations of homosexuality in the Scriptures, investigating biblical passages that address same-sex relations and their exegetical implications. The research reviews key texts, such as the book of Leviticus and Pauline letters, along with other primary and secondary sources, aiming to identify interpretative flaws in conventional readings. Although the Scriptures do not explicitly bless same-sex unions, the study demonstrates that they also do not provide a comprehensive condemnation of homosexuality as a whole, addressing the subject ambiguously, similarly to other complex issues. Therefore, a contextualized exegetical understanding is proposed, questioning the adequacy of traditional readings when approaching homosexuality and related concepts, and suggesting a broader, more careful interpretative approach.

The fundamentalist reading of Ps 91:11-12 in Mt 4:6 and Lk 4:10-11: an exegetical study on the mundane instrumentalization of the word of God

Pedro da Silva Morais — 2025-05-26

In the Gospel texts of Mt 4,6 and Lk 4,10-11, there is a diabolical character, the tempter, quoting Ps 91,11-12, with the purpose of making Christ choose a path of idolatry and corruption, the easiest way to dominate everything and everyone, overcoming any hostile power that wants to prevent this. To support this idea, the devil uses religion and even a distorted reading of the Word of God as an inspired biblical text. It is certainly a misleading theodicy that can be summed up as a representation of vain and/or ideological desires. The diabolical character behaves astutely, supposedly like various leaders representing worldly politics, capable of adulterating the deep meaning of the Holy Scriptures in order to propagate their deadly ideologies. Faced with the complexity of the question of fundamentalism, this study refrains from an exhaustive investigation of this problematic issue, which is so relevant today, focusing its interest on an exegetical, theological and pastoral reading of the pericope of Lk 4,1-14a, without forgetting to emphasize the Matthean account of the temptations. However, the Lukean text offers a chiastic structure capable of highlighting in greater depth the theme of biblical fundamentalism and its causes. In any case, both evangelists present the figure of the devil as an antagonistic being who distorts the meaning of Ps 91,11-12 in order to tempt Jesus of Nazareth, the true Son of God who becomes enigmatic to anyone who decides to read the Word of God dishonestly.

Fundamentalist reading of the OT and NT tradition of the Christian religion: delineation of its possible forms

Lucas Fernandes do Nascimento — 2025-05-26

The work in question aimed to observe/analyze religious fundamentalism, understanding this as an attitude/reading towards the Old Testament and New Testament tradition of the Christian religion - Christianity. We delimit this attitude in the context of Christianity and in Brazil. We questioned whether there would be any problem in the implementation of the fundamentalist attitude in Brazilian society, emphasizing the diverse and democratic reality very present in the country. To understand the fundamentalism in the context that we dialogue we made use in quotation of Leonardo Boff and Cássio Murilo Dias da Silva in the topic that intended to conceptualize ourselves in religious fundamentalism - especially applied to the Christian religion. In the topic about the religious fundamentalist reading in the context of the scriptural tradition of religion in focus, we list in how this reading is understood, according to Silva, which are: difficult to understand the sacred texts and Thus, it could provoke rejection to his study; naive realism; fundamentalism under the aegis of confessionality and biblical sciences. This work will be a small contribution to all who want to conceptualize themselves in the theme.

Science denial and fundamentalism: a bit of history and clues for the debate

Clovis Torquato Junior — 2025-05-26

Relations between the biological sciences and fundamentalist theology have never been peaceful, because theologians have overwhelmingly looked at science with a certain resistance and distrust, from the perspective that the biological sciences sought to deny the Bible, and, in the theological counterpart to resist and confront this opposition, fundamentalist theology decided to attack science. The results of the biological sciences, especially Darwin's theory of evolution, were not intended to discredit the Bible, although their results did put in check some precious conclusions for fundamentalist theology, such as the creation of the natural world by God. Darwin's theory is not concerned with or directed against the Bible and theology, this is not its target; however, fundamentalist theology, feeling attacked by the results of Darwin's theory, has turned to attacking and denying the biological sciences in general, but especially the theory of evolution. This study analyzes the tumultuous relationship between fundamentalist theology and the biological sciences, and how it seeks to deny and even stop studying Darwin's theory and other results of the biological sciences in elementary schools, high schools, and sometimes even universities. The results of the study show how fundamentalist theology has undermined the importance of science and how it has prevented access to scientific information in schools.

Joshua: The epic saga reverberates into the future

Renatus Porath — 2025-05-26

Yoshua assumes an Israel’s community, without State and without monarchy, occupying the promised land of its parents. Before answering questions like: Did it happen? Or didn’t it happen? The book confronts us with interrogations such as: What is the meaning of this epic sage projected over the primordial times of Israel’s formation as a people. Where do we have to situate this speech, made testimony on the action of Israel’s God, becoming God of all nations? This article seeks to enrich the data of the archaeological and topographic research with considerations from redactional history, detected along the book, and relying on the intertextuality on book of Yoshua with the First Chronicles and the First Maccabees.

The question of the historicity of the miracles of Jesus

Celso Loraschi — 2025-05-26

The main objective of this article is to offer the reader some clues that emerge from the debate around the theme of the historicity of the miracles narrated in the gospels. It initially presents a list of what are commonly considered miracles in the Bible, both in the First and Second Testaments. It is noteworthy, however, that miracles are not limited to this list. The Bible is full of them. It then seeks to define the biblical miracle from the etymology of some Hebrew and Greek terms. It goes on to present the main currents of interpretation of miracles. Finally, it enters the theme of the historicity of Jesus miracles, indicating the criteria that underlie it. The article concludes with some considerations, emphasizing that science and faith are not opposed: they go hand in hand; they are God´s gifts for the good of humanity.

The revelation of god's wrath and its consequences to the pagans in Romans 1:18-32

Osmar Debatin — 2025-05-26

To highlight the gratuity of God's merciful action towards humanity, Paul in Rom 1,18-32 emphasizes that “all have sinned” and therefore all are deserving “of the wrath of God”. Both pagans and Jews. For pagans, the denial of God manifests itself in the main characteristic, which is idolatry, causing consequences such as inappropriate sexual relations and serious addictions. However, this attitude of the pagans is not alien to the forgetfulness of God and the members of the community, the latter being the ones who often judge and condemn them. For everyone, regardless of whether they are Jews or Pagans, God justifies them by faith in Christ.