Education:

• 2012: Post-doctoral degree (habilitation): "Resheph - God of the Ancient Orient." Catholic University of Lublin. Faculty of Arts.
• 2003: Ph.D.: "Image of Yahweh as the Lord of Illness in the Hebrew Bible against the Background of Near Eastern Deities." Catholic University of Lublin. Faculty of Arts.
• 2000: 2-years course of Accadian language. Warsaw University. Institute of Oriental Studies.
• 1997: M.A.: "Beliefs in the Post-Mortem Life in the Book of Job and in Sumero-Accadian Texts. A Comparative Study." Catholic University of Lublin. Institute of History.
• 1996: 2-years course of ancient Hebrew language. Catholic University of Lublin. Institute of Biblical Studies.

Field of  Study:  
My interest concerns the comparative history of religions in the Ancient Near East. Main field of my study is Israel and Syro-Canaan, however the influence of ancient Mesopotamia in mentioned countries was so great, that it is impossible to not deal with the Mesopotamian civilization. The main topics of my research are:

• the Biblical demonology
• the characteristics of Syro-Canaanite deity Resheph
• early Hebrew beliefs in the future life
• archaeology in the Biblical studies

Interests:  

• present political and military situation in the Middle East
• tourism in the Middle East

Research Grants / Scholarships:

• 2014.04.05-11: scholarship at Murcia University (Spain). ERASMUS
• 2008.05.28-2011.05.28: Grant from the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education "Resheph - God of the Ancient Orient"
• 2005.01.20-02.14: scholarship at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium). Grant from the Ministry of Flemish Community (Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap).
• 2004.01.22-02.13: scholarship at Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic). CEEPUS (Central European Exchange Programme for University Studies)
• 2000.06.25-09.25: scholarship at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium). Co-operation of Catholic University of Lublin and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.

Publications:

Most publications are available at: https://kul.academia.edu/MaciejMünnich

Books:

• Did the Kingdom of David Exist? Recent Excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa, (Co to wszystko znaczy?), Lublin 2014, (Polish with English summary).
• The God Resheph in the Ancient Near East, (Orientalische Religionen in der Antike/Oriental Religions in Antiquity 11), Mohr Siebeck: Tübingen 2013. (the improved English version of the Polish book, http://www.mohr.de/en/nc/theology/series/detail/buch/the-god-resheph-in-the-ancient-near-east.html)
• Resheph - God of the Ancient Orient, (Studia Historico-Biblica 3), Lublin 2011, (Polish).
• To Maintain the Identity. Ancient Israel in the Face of Foreign Religions and Cultures, P. Muchowski, M. Münnich, Ł. Niesiołowski-Spanò (eds.), (Rozprawy i Studia Biblijne 31), Warsaw 2008, (Polish).
• Ancient Palestine – Between East and West, M. Münnich, Ł. Niesiołowski-Spanò (eds.), (Studia Historico-Biblica 1), Lublin 2008, (Polish).
• The Image of Yahweh as the Lord of Illness in the Hebrew Bible against the Background of Near Eastern Deities, Lublin 2004, (Polish with English summary).

Articles:

• “The Light-Life Movement in Poland Under the Communists”, in: The Trauma of Communism, eds. C. Sedmak & A. J. McAdams, Lviv 2022, 181-194, (English).

• “The Sphere of David’s Influence During His Service to the Philistines (1 Sam. 30:26-31). Between Text and Archaeology”, Zeitschrift des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins 137 (2021), 29-59, (English).

• “Homosexuality in Ancient Mesopotamia. A Survey of Sources”, Verbum Vitae 39 (2021), 27-48. https://doi.org/10.31743/vv.11079. Open access: https://czasopisma.kul.pl/vv/article/view/11079/11266. (Polish).

• “Budget Problems of Saudi Arabia: Consequences in the Sphere of Security and Regional Policy”, Securitologia 2 (2018), 27-56. DOI: 10.4467/24497436SCU.18.013.11256, (English).

• “The Wrath of Deities of Netherworld in Beliefs of the Ancient Near East”, Verbum Vitae 34 (2018), 191-212. https://doi.org/10.31743/vv.2018.34.08, (Polish).

• “Syria Past and Present”, Teka Komisji Politologii i Stosunków Międzynarodowych 12/1 (2017), 7-25, (English).

• “Rapiuma (KTU² 1.20-22). Translation and Commentary”, Scripta Biblica et Orientalia 7-8 (2015-2016), 7-31, (Polish with English summary).
• “Beth-Shemesh in the Early Iron Age”, Ugarit-Forschungen 44 (2013), 217-241, (English).
• “Resheph and Nergal at Ebla”, Scripta Biblica et Orientalia 2 (2010), 27-35, (Polish with English summary).
• “Two Faces of Resheph in Egyptian Sources”, in: Iconography and Biblical Studies. Proceedings of the Iconography Sessions at the Joint EABS/SBL Conference, 22–26 July 2007, Vienna, Austria, I. J. de Hulster, R. Schmitt (eds.), (Alter Orient und Altes Testament 361), Münster: Ugarit-Verlag 2009, 53-71, (English).
• “Begginigs of the Hebrew Monarchy”, Scripta Biblica et Orientalia 1 (2009), 29-46, (Polish with English summary).
• “The Cult of the Bronze Serpents in Ancient Canaan and Israel”, w: Iggud. Selected Essays in Jewish Studies, vol. I: The Bible and Its World, Rabbinic Literature and Jewish Law, and Jewish Thought, B. J. Schwartz, A. Melamed, A. Shemesh (eds.), Jerusalem 2008, 39*-56*, (English).
• “World of the Dead in the Understanding of Biblical Sapiential Circles”, Theologica Wratislaviensia 3 (2008), 37-46, (Polish with English summary).
•  “What did the Biblical Goat-Demons Look Like?”, Ugarit-Forschungen 38 (2006), 523-533, (English).
• “The Hebrew Altars. Biblical and Archaeological Questions”, in: Holy Places in Late Antiquity, B. Iwaszkiewicz-Wronikowska, D. Próchniak (eds.), Lublin 2005, 129-149, (Polish with Italian summary).
• “Resheph – god of the Netherworld?”, Archiv orientální 73 (2005), 161-184, (English).
• “Religious Policy of Jewish Rulers on Conquered Peoples”, in: Religion and Policy in Ancient World, R. Sajkowski (ed.), Ostróda 2005, 29-37, (Polish).
•  “Hezekiah and Archaeology. The Answer for Nadav Na’aman”, Ugarit-Forschungen 36 (2004), 333-346, (English).
• “A Few Words on a Temptation of Sacralization of History, or on Zealotism of the Biblical Chronicler”, in: Peregrinatio ad veritatem. Festschrift Prof. A. Witkowska, U. Borkowska, Cz. Deptuła, R. Knapiński, Z. Piłat, E. Wiśniowski (eds.), Lublin 2004, 315-324, (Polish).
• “Biblical Resheph – A Living God or a Dead Phrase?”, Zeszyty Naukowe KUL 47 (2004), 49-68, (Polish with English summary).
• “Transformations of Primitive Beliefs Concerning the World of the Dead in the Hebrew Bible Against the Background of the Near Eastern Beliefs”, Roczniki Humanistyczne 51 (2003), 5-27, (Polish with English summary).
• “Azazel – the New Interpretations”, Ruch Biblijny i Liturgiczny 55 (2002), 89-108, (Polish).
• “A Scheme of Ancient Near Eastern Lamentation; the Babylonian Poem ‘I will Praise the Lord of Wisdom’ and the 30^th Chapter of the Book of Job as the Examples”, Zeszyty Naukowe KUL 43 (1999), 3-13, (Polish with English summary).

Reviews:

• “Grzegorz Baran, Życie i śmierć Antiocha IV Epifanesa w przekazach biblijnych i pozabiblijnych. Historia i teologia, Tarnów: Biblos 2015”, Biblical Annals 6/4 (2016), 689-694, (Polish).
• “Avraham  Faust,  The  Archaeology  of  Israelite  Society  in  Iron  Age  II,  trans.  Ruth Ludlum, Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns 2012”, Scripta Biblica et Orientalia 5 (2013), 163-166, (Polish).
• “Judit M. Blair, De-Demonising the Old Testament, (Forschungen zum Alten Testament 37), Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck 2009”, Scripta Biblica et Orientalia 3 (2011), 301-307, (Polish).
• “Sang Youl Cho, Lesser Deities in the Ugaritic Texts and the Hebrew Bible. A Comparative Study of Their Nature and Roles, (Demons and Angels of Ancient World 2), Piscataway: Gorgias Press 2007”, Palamedes 4 (2009), 185-189.
• “Łukasz Niesiołowski-Spanò, Mityczne początki miejsc świętych w Starym Testamencie, Warszawa 2003", Ruch Biblijny i Liturgiczny 58/1 (2005), 71-80, (Polish).

munnich