Ethelbert Stauffer

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Ethelbert Stauffer (born May 8, 1902 in Friedelsheim / Pfalz , † August 1, 1979 in Erlangen ) was a Protestant theologian .

Life

Stauffer was born the son of a Mennonite preacher and spent his youth in Worms . After attending the humanistic grammar school there, he studied Protestant theology at the Universities of Halle, Berlin and Tübingen from 1921 to 1925. First he entered the service of the Mennonite community in Hamburg and Altona . In 1927 or 1928 he converted to the Evangelical Lutheran Church and in 1928 became assistant preacher of the Provincial Saxon Church. The New Testament scholar Ernst von Dobschütz made him a faculty assistant in Halle, where he received his doctorate in 1929. Since 1930 he worked here as a private lecturer .

In 1933 Stauffer published the treatise Our Faith and Our History (On the encounter between the cross and the swastika) . In the following year, at the age of 32, he became professor for the New Testament at the University of Bonn and headed the Bonn Institute for Ancient Religious History. On January 1, 1936, he was one of the signatories of an appeal in the magazine Junge Kirche , in which he wanted to campaign “for the National Socialist People's Incarnation on the basis of blood and soil”. According to his own statements, he regretted this step a short time later. By Ernst Klee given membership in the German Christians denied Stauffer.

His lecture on " Augustus and Cleopatra " on January 21, 1943 led to his suspension as vice dean because of clear anti-fascist spikes . Then he was banned from speaking .

After the end of the war, Stauffer was elected dean of the Evangelical Theological Faculty because he was the only professor in the faculty who was not a member of the NSDAP . He restored the Bonn faculty, but resigned as dean at the first meeting of the faculty on June 5, 1946, and informed the rector of this on June 6, 1946. The background to this quick resignation can no longer be fully clarified. However, from the faculty files it can be seen that the accusation of incorrect behavior was in the room during the time of National Socialism. However, a review of his writings ended with his rehabilitation. At the end of 1945, at the request of Stauffer, the teaching assignment was extended to include early Christian church and contemporary history. Nonetheless, on December 8, 1947, Stauffer informed the rector that in 1948 he would accept the call to Erlangen for a newly established ordinariate for New Testament science. As recently as 1957, he acknowledged the anti-Semitic ideas of the German Christians by claiming: "The most important task of Jesus research is clear: De-Judaization of the Jesus tradition".

Stauffer retired in 1967 .

Ethelbert Stauffer had two daughters and two sons. His third child followed him in his theological career. His son Dietrich is a professor of theoretical physics at the University of Cologne .

Teaching

Stauffer made numerous contributions to the problem of the historical Jesus . He distinguished himself by broad historical , numismatic and religious history of knowledge.

He explored the relationship between Roman sources and early Christianity. He showed that the Easter liturgy does not follow the Gospel, but the funeral ritual of Julius Caesar and that the Clementia Caesaris was the pre-Christian forerunner of Christ's forgiveness. Stauffer was a universalist who believed that ultimately all people would be saved.

He also taught that the divine punishment after death is real, but that it is not arbitrary or vengeful, but is for recovery and of limited duration, essentially equivalent to purgatory.

In 1933 Stauffer presented his thesis on the role of martyrdom in Christian theology (especially in the theology of the Anabaptists ). [2] [3] According to Stauffer, a new point of view emerged in the period of post-canon Judaism (from around 175 BC) and influenced the then flourishing apocryphal literature: the idea that suffering and martyrdom were the real meaning of history for faith are, for a twofold reason: They represent a causal necessity in the great struggle between the divine and the satanic principle. The great adversary does not allow pure knowledge of God's plan, at least not in the existing world period. Such suffering also serves a lofty purpose: it ushers in the new aeon. Death becomes victory, martyrdom is an atonement, and Satan can only be overcome through such unresisting suffering. This is the teaching of Daniel 3 (the three men in the fiery furnace) and the Second and Third Books of the Maccabees (e.g. in the story of the mother and her seven sons). The apocalyptic pre-Christian literature offers a double justification for martyrdom: causally it is inevitable and teleologically it makes perfect sense. The New Testament continued this apocalyptic trend: the cross is the center of salvation, but also the justification of all martyrdom for the sake of conscience. The idea of ​​discipleship or discipleship would be almost meaningless if it were not associated with earthly suffering. The believers' conflict with the "world" is the surest indication that the student is loyal to the master; it is a testimony to a different reality and preparation for the coming of the kingdom. Two figurative expressions soon became generally accepted: The student must be a "soldier" (or "knight") of Christ who fights "the good fight" to the bitter end. In addition, baptism is considered death, just as death is a type of baptism in blood.

Works

  • Basic concepts of a morphology of New Testament thinking, Gütersloh 1930. (BFChTh; 33,2)
  • Hína and the problem of teleological thinking in Paul: ThStKr 102 (1930), 232-257
  • The theological worldview of apocalyptic : ZSTh 8 (1930/31), 203–215
  • The Messiah Question in Judaism and Christianity . Lecturer the Hagenthaler theol. Week »Judaism a. Prot. «(Sept. 1929; abbreviated): ZThK NF 12 [39] (1931), 165–191
  • Our faith and our story. On the encounter between cross and swastika , Berlin 1933. (Voices from the German Christian student movement; 86)
  • Martyr's Theology and Anabaptist Movement: ZKG 3.F. 3 [52]: 545-598 (1933)
  • "With power of attorney". A Btr. Problem of the evidence of the Bible word, in: Wort u. Ghost. Festg. F. Karl Heim (Berlin 1934), 121-133
  • God and Emperor in the New Testament, Bonn 1935 (Bonn speeches and essays; 2)
  • Theological teaching post in church and kingdom. A word on the historical position and task of the theological faculties, Bonn 1935. (Bonn speeches and essays; 4)
  • Paul's first letter to the Corinthians , omitted. v. Philipp Bachmann m. Nachtr. V. Ethelbert Stauffer (KNT 7), Leipzig 1936
  • The theology of the New Testament (Theol. Wiss.), Stuttgart / Berlin 1941.
  • The turn of the times and the time of Christ: EMZ 3 (1942)
  • On the prehistory and early history of Primatus Petri: ZKG 3.F. 13 [62] (1943/1944), 3-34; 666, in: Festschr. Anton Friedrichsen (Coniectanea Neotestamentica 11)
  • Christ and the Caesars. Hist. Sketches, Hamburg 1948 1/2. Edition. 3. through u. exp. Edition. 1952. 6th exp. Edition. 1964. 7th exp. Edition. Munich / Hamburg 1966.
  • Demythologization or Realtheol.?: DtPfrBl 49 (1949), 413–415 (= Hans Werner Bartsch (Ed.), Kerygma and Mythos 2 [Hamburg 1952], 13–28)
  • For coinage u. Pontius Pilate's Jewish policy: La Nouvelle Clio 1 (1949/50), 495–514
  • Clementia Caesaris , in: Schr. U. Confession. Testimonies from Lutheran Theol. Festschr. J. Schöffel (Hamburg 1950), 174-184
  • Principles of the nt. Theol .: ELKZ 4 (1950), 327-329; The London Decadrachm v. 324 and Alexander's policy of ideas: Jb. f. Numismatics and Monetary 2 (1950/1951)
  • On Julius Caesar's policy of amnesty : GWU 2 (1951), 339 ff.
  • On the sacramental meaning of the ecclesiastical blessing , in: Viva Vox Evangelii. A Festschr. f. Landesbisch. D. Hans Meiser (Munich 1951), 324-334
  • On the early dating of Habakkuk midrash : ThLZ 76 (1951), 667-674
  • Jew. Heritage in the early Christian KR: ThLZ 77 (1952), 201-206
  • On the caliphate of James : ZRGG 4 (1952), 193–214
  • The state of the nt. Forsch., In: Liemar Henning (Ed.), Theol. u. Liturgy. An overview of current research in detail. (Kassel 1952), 33-105
  • The gate of Nikanor : ZNW 44 (1952/53), 44–66
  • Ancient Jesus tradition and Jesus polemics in the ma. Orient: ZNW 46 (1955), 1–30
  • The crucified Thora teacher : ZRGG 8 (1956), 250-253
  • History of Jesus, in: Fritz Valjavec (Ed.), Historia Mundi. IV: Rom. Empire u. Christianity (Munich 1956), 129–189,578 f.
  • The early church, in: Fritz Valjavec (ed.), Historia Mundi. IV: Rom. Empire u. Christianity (Munich 1956), 298-310.582 f.
  • Messiah or Son of Man ?: NovTest 1 (1956), 81-102
  • Problems of the priestly tradition: ThLZ 81 (1956), 135–150
  • Jerusalem and Rome in the Age of Jesus Christ, Bern 1957. (Dalp Taschenbuch; 331). (Japan. Tokyo 1965)
  • Jesus. Shape and History, Bern 1957, 1958. (Dalp Taschenbuch; 332)
  • Jesus and the desert community on the Dead Sea, Stuttgart 1957. (Calwer Hefte; 9)
  • New ways of researching Jesus: WZ Halle. 7 (1957/1958), 451-476
  • The corporeality of the word, Hamburg 1958.
  • The message of Jesus then and now, Bern 1959 (Dalp Taschenbuch; 333)
  • Peter and Jakobus in Jerusalem, in: Martin Roesler / Oscar Cullmann (ed.), Encounter of Christians. Stud. Ev. U. cath. Theologians. Festschr. Otto Karrer (Stuttgart 1959, 19602), 361–372
  • The critical legacy of the nineteenth century: ThLZ 84 (1959), 641–648
  • The gospel of the merciful God in Qumran and the message of Jesus: DtPfrBl 60 (1960), 73–77.103-107.126–130.150-153
  • Hist. Elements in the fourth ev., In: Confession z. Church. Festg. F. Ernst Sommerlath z. 70th Born (Berlin 1960), 33–51
  • Irrelevant ?, in: Helmut Ristow / Karl Matthiae (ed.), Der hist. Jesus u. the kerygmatic Christ. Btrr. z. Understanding of Christ in research u. Annunciation (Berlin 1960), 54–61 (New York 1964)
  • Open letter from Erlangen to Erlangen: DtPfrBl 60 (1960), 294–298
  • The duration of the Augusti Census - Neue Btrr. z. lk appraisal report, in: Stud. NT uz patristic. Festschr. Erich Klostermann (TU 77) (Berlin 1961), 9–34
  • Jesus, Paul and us. Reply to an open letter v. Paul Althaus, Walter Künneth u. Wilfried Joest, Hamburg 1961.
  • Waste and beauty. Note z. Mt 6: 28-30 and Lk 12: 27-28, in: Der Mensch u. the arts. Festschr. H. Lützeler (Düsseldorf 1962), 24-32
  • The Methurgeman of Petrus, in: Josef Blinzler / Otto Kuss / Franz Mußner (ed.), Nt. Aufss. Festschr. f. Josef Schmid (Regensburg 1963), 283-293
  • Bringing Jesus home to the Jewish people: ThLZ 88 (1963), 97-102
  • Theological and secular ideas of the state in the Bible, in: Walther Peter Fuchs (Ed.), Staat u. Church through the centuries (Gesch. And Ggw.) (Stuttgart 1966), 9-20
  • Jesus was completely different, Hamburg 1967.
  • Yeshu Ben Mirjam (Mk 6,3), in: Neotestamentica et Semitica. Studies in honor of Matthew Black ed. By E. Earle Ellis and Max Wilcox (Edinburgh 1969), 119–128
  • A comment on the Greek text of Daniel, in: Festschrift David Daube (Oxford 1978), 27–39
  • Political realism with Jesus, in: Festschrift Bo Reicke
  • Jesus, history and proclamation, in: ANRW II 25/1 (Berlin / New York 1982), 3–130
  • Ancient Madonna rel. [1973, revised. 1975]: ANRW II 17.3 (Berlin / New York 1984), 1425-1499
  • The old commandments in the New Covenant, in: Günther Bauer (ed.), The Ten Commandments. Questions to our time (Stuttgart no year), 91–97

literature

  • Friedrich Baumgärtel : The public topicality of the message of Jesus yesterday and today. In: DtPfrBl. 60, pp. 245-247 (1960).
  • Ernst Bizer : On the history of the Evangelical Theological Faculty from 1919 to 1945. P. 256–273. In: 150 years of the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Bonn. 1818-1968. Bonn scholars. Contributions to the history of science. Evangelical theology. Bouvier Röhrscheid, Bonn 1968, pp. 237-275.
  • Walter Fellmann: Stauffer, Ethelbert. In: Mennonite Lexicon . Vol. IV (1967), pp. 236f.
  • Hans Huebner : The law in the synoptic tradition. Studies on the thesis of a progressive Qumranization and Judaization within the synoptic tradition. Luther-Verlag, Witten 1973. (2nd, extended edition. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1986, ISBN 3-525-53572-4 )
  • Werner Georg Kümmel : Salvation events and history. Collected essays 1933–1964. Elwert, Marburg 1965, pp. 356-360, 384-391, 443-444, 453-454.
  • Werner Georg Kümmel: Forty Years of Jesus Research. (1950-1990). Beltz Athenäum Verlag, Weinheim 1994, ISBN 3-89547-011-2 , pp. 27-28, 35-42, 124-125. (Bonn biblical contributions; 91)
  • Børge Salomonsen: Some critical remarks on Stauffer's account of late Jewish heretic legislation. In: StTh. 18: 91-118 (1964).
  • Klaus-Gunther Wesseling :  Stauffer, Ethelbert. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 10, Bautz, Herzberg 1995, ISBN 3-88309-062-X , Sp. 1245-1250.  ( Article / beginning of article in Internet archive )

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Ernst Klee : The dictionary of persons on the Third Reich. Who was what before and after 1945. 2nd updated edition. Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2005, ISBN 3-596-16048-0 , p. 598.
  2. ↑ a b Quotation from Ernst Klee: Das Personenlexikon zum Third Reich. Fischer Taschenbuch, 2005, p. 598.
  3. ↑ Open letter from Erlangen to Erlangen (1960), p. 295
  4. ↑ cf. i.e. Wilhelm Kierdorf: Laudatio Funebris , Meisenheim am Glan 1980, p. 153 n.14 .
  5. ^ New Universalism: It's Components, Tenets, and Threats to Missions ( English ) strategicnetwork.org. Archived from the original on May 19, 2011. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
personal data
SURNAME Stauffer, Ethelbert
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German Protestant theologian
DATE OF BIRTH May 8, 1902
PLACE OF BIRTH Friedelsheim
DATE OF DEATH 1st August 1979
Place of death gain