The Reception of Exodus Motifs in Christian, Jewish, and Islamic Writings

The Exodus story ranks among the most influential narratives of the biblical tradition. As Israel's foundational story of origin, it has shaped Jewish identity in profound ways, while also exerting major influence on Christianity and Islam. The contributors to this volume trace the diverse strategies by which interpretive communities have appropriated the Exodus for their own identity-formation, theological reflection, and social orientation. While received as a normative and authoritative text, the Exodus account has also posed significant challenges. Difficult passages - such as the hardening of Pharaoh's heart or the ambivalent portrayal of Moses - have demanded interpretive responses, ranging from neglect to creative re-interpretation, as exemplified by the Qur'anic representation of Moses' "white" hand. Beyond textual analysis, the contributors emphasize the cultural settings in which these readings emerged: rabbis and church fathers, Paul and early Muslim thinkers interacted, influenced each other, or sharply demarcated their positions. Thus, the reception history of Exodus not only illuminates theological debates but also offers insights into interreligious relations, processes of identity formation, and the dynamics of cultural boundary-drawing.