“Paul and the emperor’s clothes: Masculinities and dress in the Pauline letters“

The research project “Paul and the Emperor’s Clothes: Masculinities and Dress in the Pauline Letters” examines the construction of masculinity in the Pauline letters of the New Testament and connects current debates on Pauline theology, the construction of gender and power, as well as clothing and the body in antiquity. This is done with due consideration of the power relations in the Roman Empire in the first century CE as the defining context. Thus, the project contributes to the understanding of emerging Christianity, particularly regarding the significance of identity discourses, but also addresses the hermeneutical questions implied by the research question and approach itself regarding the interpretation of ancient texts under the premises of cultural studies and postcolonial discourses.