The vision of BEST is that both biblical scholars and systematic theologians can profit from closer cooperation. On the one hand, fresh insights from biblical studies shed new light on systematic questions. In this interaction, biblical theology functions as bridge between biblical studies and dogmatics. On the other hand, systematic questions give a deepening impulse to biblical studies by laying bare presuppositions and by stimulating distinctly theological readings of biblical texts.
Our challenge is to find innovative, methodologically adequate ways to integrate results from exegetical research and systematic theological reflection. At the European Academy of Religion (EUARel) conference of 2018, BEST presented three papers that outline the challenges and possibilities of cooperation between Biblical Exegesis and Systematic Theology.