Demarcations and body practices A re-reading of biblical purity regulations in Leviticus 13–14 within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

Biblical concepts, in particular the purity regulations outlined in Leviticus, provide instructions for (demarcating) body practices and thus offer guidance in times of crisis. This also applies to the Covid-19 pandemic, which inspired the investigations in this article. It traces how biblical purity regulations and their interpretations have been received in history of language, past and present responses to pandemic outbreaks and medical history in order to provide insights into how transmitted (and among other things biblical) concepts shape the immunological discourse and current (virological) debate around Covid-19. Further, in order to critically examine and gain in-depth understanding of these concepts, the article specifically analyses the knowledge of the body and about the body presented in Leviticus 13–14 and compiles the results in encyclopedic form. Finally, questions will be raised as to whether and how this knowledge can be used to contribute to a transformative approach in managing health crises.