Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten Testaments und des Neuen Testaments

The Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten Testaments und des Neuen Testaments (Research into the Religion and Literature of the Old and New Testaments) was a scholarly series co-founded by Hermann Gunkel and Wilhelm Bousset. This series emerged from the Religionsgeschichtliche Schule (History of Religions school) in German biblical studies during the 19th century.12

This approach emphasized understanding the Bible within its historical and cultural context, applying methods like historical and form criticism. Scholars aimed to analyze biblical texts by comparing them with other ancient religious and philosophical traditions, viewing Christianity as one religion among many rather than possessing absolute truth. Gunkel, a prominent Old Testament scholar, was a key figure in developing form criticism and applied it to texts like Genesis and Psalms.21