Wilhelm Bousset
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm Bousset was a German theologian and New Testament
scholar. He was of Huguenot
ancestry and a native of Lübeck
.
He began his studies at the University of Erlangen, where he met Ernst Troeltsch
(1865–1923), with whom he maintained a friendship throughout his career. Later he studied at Leipzig
, where he was student of Adolf von Harnack
(1851–1930), and afterwards continued his studies at the University of Göttingen. In 1890 he became the Professor of New Testament Exegesis at Göttingen
, and in 1916 relocated to the University of Giessen
as a senior professorship.
Bousset was a prominent figure in the Religionsgeschichtliche Schule (History of Religions
School), a group that included scholars such as Richard August Reitzenstein
(1861–1931), Albert Eichhorn
(1856–1926) and Hermann Gunkel
(1862–1932). His better known work involved comparative studies between the Early Christian Church and other religious beliefs, particularly Hellenistic Judaism
. Bousset demonstrated in his writings that Christian thought was profoundly influenced by neighboring cultures and belief systems.
to Irenaeus
), and Der Antichrist in Der Uberlieferung Des Judentums, Des Neuen Testaments Und Der Alten Kirche (Antichrist
Legend: A Chapter in Christian and Jewish Folklore). Other noted works by Bousset include:
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
scholar. He was of Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
ancestry and a native of Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
.
He began his studies at the University of Erlangen, where he met Ernst Troeltsch
Ernst Troeltsch
Ernst Troeltsch was a German Protestant theologian and writer on philosophy of religion and philosophy of history, and an influential figure in German thought before 1914...
(1865–1923), with whom he maintained a friendship throughout his career. Later he studied at Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
, where he was student of Adolf von Harnack
Adolf von Harnack
Adolf von Harnack , was a German theologian and prominent church historian.He produced many religious publications from 1873-1912....
(1851–1930), and afterwards continued his studies at the University of Göttingen. In 1890 he became the Professor of New Testament Exegesis at Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
, and in 1916 relocated to the University of Giessen
University of Giessen
The University of Giessen is officially called the Justus Liebig University Giessen after its most famous faculty member, Justus von Liebig, the founder of modern agricultural chemistry and inventor of artificial fertiliser.-History:The University of Gießen is among the oldest institutions of...
as a senior professorship.
Bousset was a prominent figure in the Religionsgeschichtliche Schule (History of Religions
History of religions
The history of religion refers to the written record of human religious experiences and ideas. This period of religious history begins with the invention of writing about 5,000 years ago in the Near East. The prehistory of religion relates to a study of religious beliefs that existed prior to the...
School), a group that included scholars such as Richard August Reitzenstein
Richard August Reitzenstein
Richard August Reitzenstein was a German classical philologist and scholar of Ancient Greek religion, hermetism and Gnosticism. He is described by Kurt Rudolph as “one of the most stimulating Gnostic scholars”...
(1861–1931), Albert Eichhorn
Albert Eichhorn
Albert Eichhorn , the author of Das Abendmahl im Neuen Testament, was one of the founders of the discipline of history of religions, an approach that sought to understand all religions, including Christianity and Judaism, as socio-cultural phenomena that developed in comparable ways...
(1856–1926) and Hermann Gunkel
Hermann Gunkel
Hermann Gunkel was a German Protestant Old Testament scholar. He is noted for his contribution to form criticism and the study of oral tradition in biblical texts. He was an outstanding representative of the "History of Religion School."...
(1862–1932). His better known work involved comparative studies between the Early Christian Church and other religious beliefs, particularly Hellenistic Judaism
Hellenistic Judaism
Hellenistic Judaism was a movement which existed in the Jewish diaspora that sought to establish a Hebraic-Jewish religious tradition within the culture and language of Hellenism...
. Bousset demonstrated in his writings that Christian thought was profoundly influenced by neighboring cultures and belief systems.
Written works
Bousset was a prolific writer, and among his books that were translated into English were Kyrios Christos: Geschichte des Christusglaubens von den Anfängen des Christentums bis Irenäus (Kyrios Christos; A History of the Belief in Christ from the Beginnings of ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
to Irenaeus
Irenaeus
Saint Irenaeus , was Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, then a part of the Roman Empire . He was an early church father and apologist, and his writings were formative in the early development of Christian theology...
), and Der Antichrist in Der Uberlieferung Des Judentums, Des Neuen Testaments Und Der Alten Kirche (Antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
Legend: A Chapter in Christian and Jewish Folklore). Other noted works by Bousset include:
- Jesu Predigt in ihrem Gegensatz zum Judentum. Ein religionsgeschichtlicher Vergleich (1893)
- Der Antichrist in der Ueberlieferung des Judentums, des neuen Testaments und der alten Kirche (1895)
- Offenbarung Johannis (Kritisch-Exegetischer Kommentar Über Das Neue Testament) (1896)
- contributions to the Encyclopaedia BiblicaEncyclopaedia BiblicaEncyclopaedia Biblica: A Critical Dictionary of the Literary, Political and Religion History, the Archeology, Geography and Natural History of the Bible , edited by Thomas Kelly Cheyne and J. Sutherland Black, is a critical encyclopedia of the Bible. In Theology/Biblical studies, it is often...
(1903) - Die Religion des Judentums im neutestamentlichen Zeitalter (1903)
- Das Wesen Der Religion Dargestellt an Ihrer Geschichte (1904)
- Religionsgeschichtliche Studien: Aufsdtze Zur Religionsgeschichte Des Hellenistischen Zeitalters
- Hauptprobleme Der Gnosis (1907)
- contributions to 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica