The Hebrew Bible; the ancient Near Eastern world; early Judaism (especially the Dead Sea Scrolls); early Christianity; historical relations between Christianity and Judaism
Molly Zahn’s research focuses on issues of scriptural interpretation in the Hebrew Bible and in early Judaism (primarily the Dead Sea Scrolls and related texts). Other interests include the ancient Near Eastern world, early Christianity, and the historical relations between Christianity and Judaism. Molly’s publications explore how interpretation shapes the development of authoritative or scriptural texts themselves, and examine the variety of creative ways individuals and communities claim authority for new interpretations. She received her BA from the University of Minnesota and her MPhil from the University of Oxford, and also studied in Germany and Sweden, before completing her PhD at Notre Dame.