Radical Criticism
Encyclopedia
Radical Criticism is a movement around the late 19th century that, typically, denied authentic authorship of the Pauline epistles
. This went beyond the higher criticism of the Tübingen school which (with the exception of Bruno Bauer
) held that a core of at least four epistles had been written by Paul of Tarsus
in the 1st century.
, who denied Pauline authorship of Galatians
. He was fiercely attacked by his colleague A.D. Loman
, but two years later also Loman abandoned the historicity of Paul. Similarly, W.C. van Manen
, who had written a doctoral thesis defending the authenticity of 1 Thessalonians
, wrote in 1889 that he had come to the same conclusions as Loman. Also the philosopher G.J.P.J. Bolland
was a part of this movement. With the death of Van Manen's student G.A. van den Bergh van Eysinga
in 1957, this line of scholarship at Dutch universities came to an end.
The Dutch school influenced Edwin Johnson
("Antiqua Mater: A Study of Christian Origins", 1887) in England, Rudolf Steck in Switzerland, and Arthur Drews
in Germany. However, the works of Adolf Harnack proved more influential, and radical criticism was almost forgotten until it was unearthed by the Journal of Higher Criticism
in the United States.
Authorship of the Pauline epistles
The Pauline epistles are the fourteen books in the New Testament traditionally attributed to Paul the Apostle, although many dispute the anonymous Epistle to the Hebrews as being a Pauline epistle....
. This went beyond the higher criticism of the Tübingen school which (with the exception of Bruno Bauer
Bruno Bauer
Bruno Bauer was a German philosopher and historian. As a student of GWF Hegel, Bauer was a radical Rationalist in philosophy, politics and Biblical criticism...
) held that a core of at least four epistles had been written by Paul of Tarsus
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
in the 1st century.
The Dutch school
The Dutch school of radical criticism started in 1878 with a publication by Allard PiersonAllard Pierson
Allard Pierson was a Dutch theologian, historian, and art historian. He was a leading proponent of radical criticism in the Netherlands.-Life:Pierson's father was a merchant in Amsterdam, his mother an author of pietist works...
, who denied Pauline authorship of Galatians
Epistle to the Galatians
The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, often shortened to Galatians, is the ninth book of the New Testament. It is a letter from Paul of Tarsus to a number of Early Christian communities in the Roman province of Galatia in central Anatolia...
. He was fiercely attacked by his colleague A.D. Loman
Abraham Dirk Loman
Abraham Dirk Loman was a Dutch theologian. He was a professor from 1856 till 1893. In his later period he belonged to the Dutch radical critics.-Life:...
, but two years later also Loman abandoned the historicity of Paul. Similarly, W.C. van Manen
Willem Christiaan van Manen
Willem Christiaan van Manen was a Dutch theologian. He was professor in early Christian literature and New Testament exegesis at Leiden University and belonged to the Dutch school of Radical Criticism.-Work:Van Manen's 1865 doctoral thesis in Utrecht about the authenticity of 1 Thessalonians...
, who had written a doctoral thesis defending the authenticity of 1 Thessalonians
First Epistle to the Thessalonians
The First Epistle to the Thessalonians, usually referred to simply as First Thessalonians and often written 1 Thessalonians, is a book from the New Testament of the Christian Bible....
, wrote in 1889 that he had come to the same conclusions as Loman. Also the philosopher G.J.P.J. Bolland
Gerardus Johannes Petrus Josephus Bolland
Gerardus Johannes Petrus Josephus Bolland , also known as G.J.P.J. Bolland, was a Dutch autodidact , linguist, philosopher, biblical scholar, and lecturer...
was a part of this movement. With the death of Van Manen's student G.A. van den Bergh van Eysinga
Gustaaf Adolf van den Bergh van Eysinga
Gustaaf Adolf van den Bergh van Eysinga was a Dutch theologian. From 1936 to 1944 he was professor in New Testament exegesis at the University of Amsterdam. He belonged to the Dutch school of Radical Criticism.-Life:...
in 1957, this line of scholarship at Dutch universities came to an end.
The Dutch school influenced Edwin Johnson
Edwin Johnson (historian)
Edwin Johnson , English historian, is best known for his radical criticisms of Christian historiography, continuing scholarship in the vein of Bruno Bauer, S.A. Naber, and Allard Pierson...
("Antiqua Mater: A Study of Christian Origins", 1887) in England, Rudolf Steck in Switzerland, and Arthur Drews
Arthur Drews
Christian Heinrich Arthur Drews [pronounced "drefs"] was a German philosopher, writer, and important representative of German Monist thought. He was born in Uetersen, Holstein, present day Germany....
in Germany. However, the works of Adolf Harnack proved more influential, and radical criticism was almost forgotten until it was unearthed by the Journal of Higher Criticism
Journal of Higher Criticism
The Journal of Higher Criticism was an academic journal presenting "articles dealing with historical, literary, and history-of-religion issues from the perspective of higher criticism", published by the Institute for Higher Critical Studies. The editor-in-chief was Robert M...
in the United States.