Changes

From Nordan Symposia
Jump to navigationJump to search
72 bytes added ,  16:18, 9 April 2009
Line 29: Line 29:  
Among the distinctive characteristics of Harnack's work were his insistence on absolute freedom in the study of church history and the New Testament (i.e. there were no "taboo" areas of [[research]] that could not be critically examined); his distrust of speculative theology, whether orthodox or liberal; and his interest in practical Christianity as a religious life and not a system of theology. Some of his addresses on social matters were published under the heading "Essays on the Social Gospel" (1907).
 
Among the distinctive characteristics of Harnack's work were his insistence on absolute freedom in the study of church history and the New Testament (i.e. there were no "taboo" areas of [[research]] that could not be critically examined); his distrust of speculative theology, whether orthodox or liberal; and his interest in practical Christianity as a religious life and not a system of theology. Some of his addresses on social matters were published under the heading "Essays on the Social Gospel" (1907).
   −
Though the four [[gospel]]s have been regarded as [[canon]]ical since [[Irenaeus]] in the 2nd century, Harnack - like earlier German scholars - rejected the [[Gospel of John]] as without historical [[value]] regarding Jesus' life:
+
Though the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Canonical_Gospels four gospels] have been regarded as [[canon]]ical since [[Irenaeus]] in the 2nd century, Harnack - like earlier German scholars - rejected the [[Gospel of John]] as without historical [[value]] regarding Jesus' life:
:"In particular, the fourth Gospel, which does not emanate or profess to emanate from the apostle John, cannot be taken as an historical [[authority]] in the ordinary [[meaning]] of the [[word]]. The [[author]] of it acted with sovereign freedom, transposed events and put them in a strange [[light]], drew up the [[discourses]] himself, and illustrated great thoughts by imaginary situations. Although, therefore, his work is not altogether devoid of a real, if scarcely recognisable, traditional element, it can hardly make any claim to be considered an authority for Jesus’ history; only little of what he says can be accepted, and that little with caution. On the other hand, it is an authority of the first rank for answering the question, What vivid views of Jesus’ person, what kind of light and warmth, did the Gospel disengage?"[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/harnack/christianity.iii.ii.html] Note that the word "disengage" here is a mistranslation of the word ''entbunden'' which appears in the [http://www.archive.org/details/daswesendeschris00harnuoft original German text], which would be better rendered "give birth to", "set in motion" or "release"  
+
:"In particular, the fourth Gospel, which does not emanate or profess to emanate from the apostle John, cannot be taken as an historical [[authority]] in the ordinary [[meaning]] of the [[word]]. The [[author]] of it acted with sovereign freedom, transposed events and put them in a strange [[light]], drew up the [[discourse]]s himself, and illustrated great thoughts by imaginary situations. Although, therefore, his work is not altogether devoid of a real, if scarcely recognisable, traditional element, it can hardly make any claim to be considered an authority for Jesus’ history; only little of what he says can be accepted, and that little with caution. On the other hand, it is an authority of the first rank for answering the question, What vivid views of Jesus’ person, what kind of light and warmth, did the Gospel disengage?"[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/harnack/christianity.iii.ii.html] Note that the word "disengage" here is a mistranslation of the word ''entbunden'' which appears in the [http://www.archive.org/details/daswesendeschris00harnuoft original German text], which would be better rendered "give birth to", "set in motion" or "release"  
    
Harnack denied the possibility of miracles but argued that Jesus may well have performed acts of healing that seemed miraculous: "That the [[earth]] in its course stood still; that a she-ass spoke; that a storm was quieted by a word, we do not believe, and we shall never again believe; but that the lame walked, the blind saw, and the deaf heard will not be so summarily dismissed as an illusion."
 
Harnack denied the possibility of miracles but argued that Jesus may well have performed acts of healing that seemed miraculous: "That the [[earth]] in its course stood still; that a she-ass spoke; that a storm was quieted by a word, we do not believe, and we shall never again believe; but that the lame walked, the blind saw, and the deaf heard will not be so summarily dismissed as an illusion."
 +
 
==Bibliography==
 
==Bibliography==
 
*''Adolf von Harnack. Christentum, Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft'', Kurt Nowak et al., eds., Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2003, ISBN 3-525-35854-7 is the best recent assessment of Harnack and his impact from a variety of perspectives.
 
*''Adolf von Harnack. Christentum, Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft'', Kurt Nowak et al., eds., Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2003, ISBN 3-525-35854-7 is the best recent assessment of Harnack and his impact from a variety of perspectives.

Navigation menu