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In 1886 Harnack was called to the University of Marburg and in 1888, in spite of violent opposition from the conservative church authorities, to Berlin. In 1890 he became a member of the Academy of Sciences. In Berlin, somewhat against his will, he was drawn into a controversy on the Apostles' Creed, in which the partisan antagonisms within the Prussian Church had found expression. Harnack's view was that the creed contains both too much and too little to be a satisfactory test for candidates for ordination; he preferred a briefer declaration of faith which could be rigorously applied to all (cf. his ''Das Apostolische Glaubensbekenntnis. Ein geschichtlicher Bericht nebst einer Einleitung und einem Nachwort'', 1892).

In 1886 Harnack was called to the University of Marburg and in 1888, in spite of violent opposition from the conservative church authorities, to Berlin. In 1890 he became a member of the Academy of Sciences. In Berlin, somewhat against his will, he was drawn into a controversy on the Apostles' Creed, in which the partisan antagonisms within the Prussian Church had found expression. Harnack's view was that the creed contains both too much and too little to be a satisfactory test for candidates for ordination; he preferred a briefer declaration of faith which could be rigorously applied to all (cf. his ''Das Apostolische Glaubensbekenntnis. Ein geschichtlicher Bericht nebst einer Einleitung und einem Nachwort'', 1892).

In Berlin, Harnack continued writing. In 1893 he published a history of early [[Christian]] [[literature]] down to Eusebius of Caesarea, ''Geschichte der altkirchlichen Literatur bis Eusebius'' (part 2 of vol. 5., 1897); and in his popular lectures, ''Das Wesen des Christentums'' appeared in 1900 (5th ed., 1901; English translation, ''What is Christianity?'' 1901). One of his later historical works, ''Die Mission und Ausbreitung des Christentums in den ersten drei Jahrhunderten'' (1902; English translation, ''The Mission and Expansion of Christianity in the First Three Centuries'', in two volumes, 1904-1905), was followed by some important [[New Testament]] studies (''Beitrage zur Einleitung in das neue Testament'', 1906 sqq.; Engl. trans.: ''Luke the Physician'', 1907; ''The Sayings of Jesus'', 1908).

In Berlin, Harnack continued writing. In 1893 he published a history of early [[Christian]] [[literature]] down to Eusebius of Caesarea, ''Geschichte der altkirchlichen Literatur bis Eusebius'' (part 2 of vol. 5., 1897); and in his popular lectures, ''Das Wesen des Christentums'' appeared in 1900 (5th ed., 1901; English translation, [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Adolf_Harnack_and_the_Search_for_Missing_Christianity ''What is Christianity?''] 1901). One of his later historical works, ''Die Mission und Ausbreitung des Christentums in den ersten drei Jahrhunderten'' (1902; English translation, ''The Mission and Expansion of Christianity in the First Three Centuries'', in two volumes, 1904-1905), was followed by some important [[New Testament]] studies (''Beitrage zur Einleitung in das neue Testament'', 1906 sqq.; Engl. trans.: ''Luke the Physician'', 1907; ''The Sayings of Jesus'', 1908).

Harnack was one of the most prolific and stimulating of modern critical scholars, and brought up in his "Seminar" a whole generation of teachers who carried his [[ideas]] and methods throughout the whole of Germany and beyond.  

Harnack was one of the most prolific and stimulating of modern critical scholars, and brought up in his "Seminar" a whole generation of teachers who carried his [[ideas]] and methods throughout the whole of Germany and beyond.  

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 [https://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?"[https://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 [https://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.

==External links==

==External links==

*[http://www.harnack-forum.de Harnack-Forum (German Website)]

*[https://www.harnack-forum.de Harnack-Forum (German Website)]

*[http://www.ccel.org/h/harnack/ Works by Adolf Harnack at CCEL (English)]

*[https://www.ccel.org/h/harnack/ Works by Adolf Harnack at CCEL (English)]

==References==

==References==

#Henry Chadwick, The early church. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1967, p. 43. ISBN 0 14 02.02502 0

#The Early Church. by Henry Chadwick: Penguin, 1967, p. 43. ISBN 0140231994

#What is Christianity? Lectures Delivered in the University of Berlin during the Winter-Term 1899-1900. | Christian Classics Ethereal Library

#What is Christianity? Lectures Delivered in the University of Berlin during the Winter-Term 1899-1900. | Christian Classics Ethereal Library

#Note that the word "disengage" here is a mistranslation of the word entbunden which appears in the original German text, which would be better rendered "give birth to", "set in motion" or "release"

#Note that the word "disengage" here is a mistranslation of the word entbunden which appears in the original German text, which would be better rendered "give birth to", "set in motion" or "release"