Günther Bornkamm (8 October 1905 – 18 February 1990) was a German New Testament scholar belonging to the school of Rudolf Bultmann and a Professor of New Testament at the University of Heidelberg. Under Adolf Hitler, he opposed the nazification of the Protestant churches and their unification into the movement of the 'German Christians'. His post-war fame as a scholar rested on his effort to separate fiction from facts in his reconstruction of Jesus' life and in his subsequent treatment of the gospel of Matthew. His brother was the ecclesiastical historian and Luther scholar Heinrich Bornkamm [de].
From 1947 to 1949 Bornkamm was a professor at the University of Göttingen from 1949 to 1971 and professor of New Testament at the University of Heidelberg. He was also a member of the Confederation of Köngener (Bund der Köngener), a German youth organization created in 1920 out of groups of Protestant Bible circles and disbanded by the Nazi dictatorship in 1934.[a]
Günther Bornkamm was a proponent of the Second Quest for the Historical Jesus (following the Period of "No Quest" of Albert Schweitzer).[b] He suggested a tighter relationship between Jesus and the theology of the early church (in contrast to the 'First' and 'No Quest' periods ending in 1953). Numbered among his opponents, Rudolf Bultmann argued for a divorce between the two, but their approaches remain similar in many aspects.
In his book Jesus von Nazareth (1956),[c] Bornkamm expressed the profound difficulties of researching the historical Jesus and wished to produce a work that would inform not only professional theologians on the many questions, uncertainties, and findings of historical research, but also the laymen who would wish, so far as possible, to arrive at an historical understanding of the tradition about Jesus and should not be content with edifying or romantic portrayals.[4] He also stated that everyone was so familiar with the Nazarene through Christian tradition, and yet at the same time this very tradition had become strange and unintelligible to many. He affirmed:
If the journey into this often misty country is to succeed, then the first requirement is the readiness for free and frank questioning, and the renunciation of an attitude which simply seeks the confirmation of its own judgements arising from a background of belief or of unbelief.[5]
The work by Ernst Käsemann is also valuable for understanding Bornkamm's work.
Worksedit
Bornkamm, Günther; Klaas, Walter (1951). Mythos und Evangelium. Theologische Existenz heute. Vol. 26. München: Kaiser. OCLC 12630562.
——— (1960). Jesus of Nazareth (trans from Jesus von Nazareth). New York: Evanston Harper & Row. OCLC 721209186. - (trans pub by Stuttgart: Europa-Verlag in 1956)
———; Barth, Gerhard; Held, Heinz Joachim (1963). Tradition and Interpretation in Matthew (trans from Überlieferung und Aulegung im Matthäusevangelim). New Testament library. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press. ISBN9780664204532. OCLC 383441.
——— (1969). Paul (trans from Paulus). London: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN9780340197615. OCLC 827621337. - (trans pub by Stuttgart: Kohlhammer Verlag in 1969)
——— (1973). The New Testament: A Guide to Its Writings (trans from Bibel, das Neue Testament). Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press. ISBN9780800601683. OCLC 692446. - (trans pub by Stuttgart: Kreuz-Verlag in 1971)
———; Hammer, Paul Leland (1974). Early Christian experience (trans from Studien zu Antike und Urchristentum and Das Ende des Gesetzes). New Testament library. London: SCM Press. ISBN9780334003472. OCLC 16236676. - (trans by Munich: Kaiser Verlag in 1963 and 1966)
———; Wolff, Hans Walter (1980). Zugang zur Bibel: eine Einführung in die Schriften des Alten und Neuen Testaments. Themen der Theologie, Bd. 7 u. 9. Stuttgart: Kreuz-Verlag. ISBN9783783106138. OCLC 844919595.
——— (1985). Studien zum Neuen Testament. München: Kaiser. ISBN9783459016129. OCLC 13152615.
———; Zager, Hrsg. von Werner (2009). Studien zum Matthäus-Evangelium. Wissenschaftliche Monographien zum Alten und Neuen Testament. Vol. 125. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag. ISBN978-3-7887-2365-1. OCLC 463790281.
^Bornkamm wrote that Schweitzer, in his classic work, The Quest of the Historical Jesus, had erected its memorial, but at the same time had delivered its funeral oration.[3]
^Published in the English translation as Jesus of Nazareth in 1960, by Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, as prepared by I. & F. McLuskey, with J. M. Robinson.
Bornkamm, Günther (1960). Jesus of Nazareth. New York, Harper.
——— (1995) [1960]. Jesus of Nazareth. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Fortress Press. ISBN978-0-8006-2887-1.
Koester, Helmut (2005). Foreword. The City in the Valley: Biblical Interpretation and Urban Theology. By Georgi, Dieter. Studies in Biblical Literature. Vol. 7. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill. pp. vii–x. ISBN978-90-04-13065-4. ISSN 1570-1999.
Poewe, Karla; Hexham, Irving (2003). Jakob Wilhelm Hauer's New Religion and National Socialism(PDF). Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
Schild, Maurice E. (2016). "Review of Rudolf Bultmann / Günther Bornkamm: Briefwechsel, 1926–1976 edited by Werner Zager". Lutheran Theological Review. 50 (1): 89–90. ISSN 0024-7553.
günther, bornkamm, october, 1905, february, 1990, german, testament, scholar, belonging, school, rudolf, bultmann, professor, testament, university, heidelberg, under, adolf, hitler, opposed, nazification, protestant, churches, their, unification, into, moveme. Gunther Bornkamm 8 October 1905 18 February 1990 was a German New Testament scholar belonging to the school of Rudolf Bultmann and a Professor of New Testament at the University of Heidelberg Under Adolf Hitler he opposed the nazification of the Protestant churches and their unification into the movement of the German Christians His post war fame as a scholar rested on his effort to separate fiction from facts in his reconstruction of Jesus life and in his subsequent treatment of the gospel of Matthew His brother was the ecclesiastical historian and Luther scholar Heinrich Bornkamm de Gunther BornkammBorn 1905 10 08 8 October 1905Gorlitz German EmpireDied18 February 1990 1990 02 18 aged 84 Heidelberg West GermanyAcademic backgroundDoctoral advisorRudolf Bultmann 1 Academic workDisciplineBiblical studiesSub disciplineNew TestamentInstitutionsUniversity of KonigsbergUniversity of GottingenHeidelberg UniversityDoctoral studentsDieter Georgi de 2 Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 3 Notes 4 References 4 1 Footnotes 4 2 Works cited 5 External linksBiography editBornkamm was a student of Rudolf Bultmann with Ernst Kasemann Tubingen Ernst Fuchs Marburg and Hans Conzelmann Gottingen He developed his studies in Tubingen Marburg and Gottingen In 1934 he was appointed professor at the University of Konigsberg but in 1937 the Nazis withdrew his venia legendi and he had to stop lecturing He was a pastor in Munster and Dortmund before he was forced in 1943 to join the Wehrmacht From 1947 to 1949 Bornkamm was a professor at the University of Gottingen from 1949 to 1971 and professor of New Testament at the University of Heidelberg He was also a member of the Confederation of Kongener Bund der Kongener a German youth organization created in 1920 out of groups of Protestant Bible circles and disbanded by the Nazi dictatorship in 1934 a Gunther Bornkamm was a proponent of the Second Quest for the Historical Jesus following the Period of No Quest of Albert Schweitzer b He suggested a tighter relationship between Jesus and the theology of the early church in contrast to the First and No Quest periods ending in 1953 Numbered among his opponents Rudolf Bultmann argued for a divorce between the two but their approaches remain similar in many aspects In his book Jesus von Nazareth 1956 c Bornkamm expressed the profound difficulties of researching the historical Jesus and wished to produce a work that would inform not only professional theologians on the many questions uncertainties and findings of historical research but also the laymen who would wish so far as possible to arrive at an historical understanding of the tradition about Jesus and should not be content with edifying or romantic portrayals 4 He also stated that everyone was so familiar with the Nazarene through Christian tradition and yet at the same time this very tradition had become strange and unintelligible to many He affirmed If the journey into this often misty country is to succeed then the first requirement is the readiness for free and frank questioning and the renunciation of an attitude which simply seeks the confirmation of its own judgements arising from a background of belief or of unbelief 5 The work by Ernst Kasemann is also valuable for understanding Bornkamm s work Works editBornkamm Gunther Klaas Walter 1951 Mythos und Evangelium Theologische Existenz heute Vol 26 Munchen Kaiser OCLC 12630562 1960 Jesus of Nazareth trans from Jesus von Nazareth New York Evanston Harper amp Row OCLC 721209186 trans pub by Stuttgart Europa Verlag in 1956 Barth Gerhard Held Heinz Joachim 1963 Tradition and Interpretation in Matthew trans from Uberlieferung und Aulegung im Matthausevangelim New Testament library Philadelphia PA Westminster Press ISBN 9780664204532 OCLC 383441 1969 Paul trans from Paulus London Hodder amp Stoughton ISBN 9780340197615 OCLC 827621337 trans pub by Stuttgart Kohlhammer Verlag in 1969 1973 The New Testament A Guide to Its Writings trans from Bibel das Neue Testament Philadelphia PA Fortress Press ISBN 9780800601683 OCLC 692446 trans pub by Stuttgart Kreuz Verlag in 1971 Hammer Paul Leland 1974 Early Christian experience trans from Studien zu Antike und Urchristentum and Das Ende des Gesetzes New Testament library London SCM Press ISBN 9780334003472 OCLC 16236676 trans by Munich Kaiser Verlag in 1963 and 1966 Wolff Hans Walter 1980 Zugang zur Bibel eine Einfuhrung in die Schriften des Alten und Neuen Testaments Themen der Theologie Bd 7 u 9 Stuttgart Kreuz Verlag ISBN 9783783106138 OCLC 844919595 1985 Studien zum Neuen Testament Munchen Kaiser ISBN 9783459016129 OCLC 13152615 Zager Hrsg von Werner 2009 Studien zum Matthaus Evangelium Wissenschaftliche Monographien zum Alten und Neuen Testament Vol 125 Neukirchen Vluyn Neukirchener Verlag ISBN 978 3 7887 2365 1 OCLC 463790281 Notes edit See also Wandervogel Poewe amp Hexham 2003 Bornkamm wrote that Schweitzer in his classic work The Quest of the Historical Jesus had erected its memorial but at the same time had delivered its funeral oration 3 Published in the English translation as Jesus of Nazareth in 1960 by Hodder amp Stoughton Ltd as prepared by I amp F McLuskey with J M Robinson References editFootnotes edit Schild 2016 p 89 Koester 2005 p vii Bornkamm 1995 p 13 Bornkamm 1960 pp 9 11 Bornkamm 1960 p 10 Works cited edit Bornkamm Gunther 1960 Jesus of Nazareth New York Harper 1995 1960 Jesus of Nazareth Minneapolis Minnesota Fortress Press ISBN 978 0 8006 2887 1 Koester Helmut 2005 Foreword The City in the Valley Biblical Interpretation and Urban Theology By Georgi Dieter Studies in Biblical Literature Vol 7 Leiden Netherlands Brill pp vii x ISBN 978 90 04 13065 4 ISSN 1570 1999 Poewe Karla Hexham Irving 2003 Jakob Wilhelm Hauer s New Religion and National Socialism PDF Calgary Alberta University of Calgary Retrieved 4 April 2018 Schild Maurice E 2016 Review of Rudolf Bultmann Gunther Bornkamm Briefwechsel 1926 1976 edited by Werner Zager Lutheran Theological Review 50 1 89 90 ISSN 0024 7553 External links editLiterature by and about Gunther Bornkamm in the German National Library catalogue Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gunther Bornkamm amp oldid 1209640328, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
