The Institute for Old Testament Studies deals with the writings of the Old Testament in their historical and cultural context. The Hebrew Bible, or Old or First Testament, is a collection of texts of varying size depending on religion and denomination, which were written over several millennia. In order to bring these texts to life, Old Testament studies apply exegetical, literary-historical, historical, archaeological, linguistic, religious-historical, and theological studies in the context of the cultures of the ancient Near East.

Part of the institute is the Department of Biblical Theology and its Actualization, newly established in 2025, which conducts research and teaching at the interface of Old and New Testament studies, focusing primarily on questions concerning the canon and beyond, and their significance in the history of reception.

From left to right: Joana Mayer, Kimena Bürgi, Nancy Rahn, Andreas Wagner, Trudy Walter