Abraham Kuenen

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Abraham Kuenen

Abraham Kuenen (born September 16, 1828 in Haarlem , † December 10, 1891 in Leiden ) was a Dutch Reformed theologian who was best known for his contributions to the historical and critical research of the Old Testament .

Life

Kuenen was born the son of the Haarlem pharmacist Johannes Petrus Kuenen (born July 26, 1789 in Haarlem; † February 28, 1843 there) and his wife, Catharina Susanna Maria Rutgers, who was married on October 5, 1826. After attending the Latin school in his birthplace, he completed an apprenticeship as a pharmacist for two and a half years. However, he did not feel like continuing. Rather, he wanted to devote himself to the study of theology. Therefore he resumed his training in Haarlem and passed the state examination for university entrance in September 1846. In June 1846 he had already distinguished himself in Haarlem with his first printed work, the Oratio de Socrate, cive praestantissimo . On September 4, 1846, he enrolled at the University of Leiden, where Theodoor Willem Johannes Juynboll familiarized him with the oriental languages ​​Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac, Arabic and Sanskrit and Johannes Henricus Scholten , who taught him the New Testament, natural theology and dogmatics brought closer. On June 28, 1851 he completed his doctorate with the text edition of Genesis 1-34 translated into Arabic by Abu-Said from the Samaritan Pentateuch Specimen theologicum, continens Geneseos libri Capita XXXIV priora, ex Arab. Pentateuchi Samaritani versione nunc primum edita cum prolegomenis for Doctor of Theology.

In the same year he published the remainder of Genesis and in the same year became the custodian of the oriental manuscripts in the Warner Collection in the Leiden University Library. On December 30, 1852, he became associate professor of theology in Leiden, teaching the interpretation of the New Testament books and the history of the Old Testament books. On February 2, 1853, he received an honorary doctorate in philosophical literature. On March 12, 1853, he gave his inaugural address as associate professor Oratio de accurato antiquitatis Hebraicae studio theologico Christiano magnopere commendando . On September 10, 1855, he became a full professor of theology, which expanded his teaching position to include the encyclopedia and methodology. On May 4, 1859 he became a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences in Amsterdam. In his capacity as a university lecturer in Leiden, he also took part in the organizational tasks of the university and was rector of the alma mater in 1861/62 . Later he also taught theological ethics.

family

On August 2, 1855, he married Wiepke Muurling (born July 29, 1833 in Franeker; † 1883), the daughter of the professor in Franeker and Groningen Willem Muurling (1805–1882) and his first wife Itje Westerbaan (née Bolsward; † 21 August 1848 in Groningen). His two sons Johannes Petrus Kuenen (1866–1922) and Willem Abraham Kuenen (1873–1951) also became professors. The geologist Philip Henry Kuenen was his grandson.

Act

Kuenen published numerous exegetical works, most of which were also translated into German and other languages. Together with Julius Wellhausen and Karl Heinrich Graf, he underpinned the newer document hypothesis developed by Hermann Hupfeld on the history of the origins and transmission of the Pentateuch , whereby he proved Graf's late dating. Wellhausen also prepared his monograph on worship in Israel on the religious history of the Israelite religion. In terms of church politics, he is considered to be one of the main representatives of the liberalmodern direction ” in the Dutch Reformed Church, which his teacher Johannes Henricus Scholten founded.

Fonts (selection)

  • Historically-critical Onderzoek naar het Ontstaan ​​en de Verzameling van de Boeken des Ouden Verband . Leiden, 1861-1865; 2nd ed. 1887–1893 (German: historical-critical introduction to the books of the Old Testament with regard to their origin and collection . Leipzig: Otto Schulze, 1878; 2nd ed. 1885–1894).
  • Friedrich Schleiermacher . Leiden: P. Engels, 1868.
  • De Godsdienst van Israel dead the ondergang van den Joodschen Staat . Haarlem: Kruseman, 1869–70.
  • De Profeten en de profetie onder Israel . Leiden: P. Engels, 1875 (English: The prophets and prophecy in Israel . London 1877; Repr. Amsterdam: Philo Pr., 1969).
  • Volksgodsdienst en wereldgodsdienst: fijf voorlezingen . Leiden: Doesburgh, 1882 (German: Volksreligion und Weltreligion: five Hibbert lectures . Berlin: Reimer, 1883).
  • Levens report by Joannes Henricus Scholten. In: Jaarboek the Kon. Academie van Wetenschappen voor 1885 online resource
  • Collected treatises on biblical science: Mit Bildnis u. Font directory . Freiburg i. E.g .: JCB Mohr, 1894.

literature

Web links