Annette Schellenberg-Lagler

Annette Schellenberg-Lagler serves as Professor of Old Testament Studies at the University of Vienna's Faculty of Protestant Theology, where she concurrently holds leadership roles as Vice Dean, Director of Studies, and Deputy Head of the Institute for Old Testament Studies and Biblical Archaeology. Her academic career spans over two decades with significant contributions to biblical scholarship since joining Vienna in 2015 after positions at the University of Zurich and San Francisco Theological Seminary.

Her educational foundation includes Protestant Theology studies at the University of Zurich (1991-1998), followed by doctoral completion in 2002 and habilitation in 2011 at the same institution. Key developmental phases include Swiss National Science Foundation research in Los Angeles (2003-2005) and tenure-track professorship in California (2007-2015).

Schellenberg-Lagler's research centers on Prehistory (Genesis 1-11), Priestly literature, Wisdom literature, and the Song of Songs, with specialized focus on Old Testament Anthropology and theological controversies within ancient Near Eastern contexts. Her work consistently bridges textual analysis with anthropological and epistemological frameworks, particularly examining human cognition in wisdom texts and sensory dimensions in biblical poetry. Current projects include a Song of Songs commentary for Eerdmans' Illuminations series.

Recent publications reveal evolving scholarly trajectories toward negative theology in Hebrew Bible studies and interdisciplinary epistemology, while maintaining deep engagement with Wisdom literature. Her editorial leadership as Editor-in-Chief of Vetus Testamentum since 2020 significantly shapes contemporary Old Testament scholarship.

She actively mentors students through STEOP-Mentoring programs and doctoral seminars, building on early-career support from Swiss National Science Foundation and Zurich Young Talents scholarships. Her academic service extends to steering committees for the Society of Biblical Literature's 'Wisdom in Israelite Traditions' group and the Working Group on Old Testament Reception (AKRAT).

As a core member of Vienna's Research Center 'Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society' (RaT), she collaborates across multiple networks including the 'Epistemology in ancient Israel' consortium. Her institutional leadership drives curriculum development for Evangelical Theology programs while maintaining active participation in European scholarly societies like EABS and SBL.