Birger Gerhardsson

Birger Gerhardsson (born 26 September 1926 in Vännäs, Västerbotten County Province; † December 25, 2013 ) was a Swedish theologian and professor at the Theological Faculty of the University of Lund, Sweden. His research focus is on the oral transmission of the - opening into the Gospels of the New Testament - Reports on the words and deeds of Jesus.

Academic career

Gerhardsson acquired in 1952 the degree of Bachelor in 1953 and ordained a Lutheran pastor. He taught at the Fjellstedtska school in Uppsala (from 1953-58 and 1961-64 ). At the same time he continued his theological studies continue (conclude with licentiate 1956), in 1961 received his doctorate in theology and was associate professor of New Testament exegesis at the University of Uppsala. From 1965 he was a university professor of exegesis in Lund.

Gerhardsson was president of the SNTS ( Society for New Testament Studies). He is a member of Nathan Soderblom Society and the Royal humanistic- scientific society of Lund ( " Kungliga Humanistiska Vetenskaps - Samfundet i Lund ").

Exploration of the Gospels

Gerhardssons main scientific focus was the dissemination and development of oral traditions of the Gospel texts. Like his teacher, the Swede Harald Riesenfeld, he emphasized the memorization of the words of Jesus in analogy to the teaching of Jewish rabbis ( the research then spoke of the " Scandinavian Access ").

A particular focus of the research was the New Testament Synoptic Problem: What are the major similarities and the differences between the first three Gospels explained? According to the two basic forms of interpersonal communication ( oral and written), there are basically two ways ( and the combination of both ) in reply to the synoptic problem. The majority of the New Testament focuses on " literary " solutions, with the emphasis on the " Written " includes both the form of transfer relates and the preservation of information on a carrier ( eg, parchment ). The - also favored by Gerhardsson - " oral " solution includes the oral transmission as well as the human memory as a storage medium. According to the so-called " tradition hypothesis " are the first three Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke ) the result of human memory supported by oral tradition process.

To highlight the importance of memory in the transmission of finally held in the Gospels words and deeds of Jesus it was already in Gerhardssons thesis ( Memory and Manuscript ). In it, he took up the teaching of the rabbis on the important memorization ( rote learning ) and pointed to similarities in teaching of Jesus. He also stressed the überlieferungsbewahrende function group of the Twelve. Against the idea of ​​rote learning was drawn attention to the differences between the Synoptics.

About Gerhardsson was said to have introduced the category of memory in the Gospels research. This " Scandinavian approach " suggested, among others, Rainer Riesner to write the dissertation Jesus as a teacher (1981). Samuel Byrskog, a student Gerhardssons, examined with regard to the words of Jesus in the gospels, the interaction of oral and written tradition in ancient times, each starting from the reports of eyewitnesses. The emphasis of the factor "memory", in conjunction with the oral tradition, was recently drafted by Armin Daniel Baum under Miteinbezug of reference material from educational psychology and folklore (The oral factor and its importance for the synoptic question, 2008). The crossed- out of Gerhardsson Memorizing is now being seriously considered in the New Testament research. For example, Ulrich Wilcken points out that " the people at that time an amazing memory skills possessed " as the " out of the many learning processes in the synagogues and Rabbinenschulen reputation '. Wilcken assumes " that even in Jesus' lifetime his disciples have impressed his preaching and teaching for themselves and for newcomers Rammed in the text itself." That applies not only to the words of Jesus, but also for his actions: "Even stories of miracles of Jesus are probably already handed in vorösterlicher time in relatively solid formulations ... been ".

His theological publications authored Gerhardsson especially in English, some but also in German, French and Swedish in his native language.

Works (selection)

German:

  • The beginning of the gospel tradition. R. Brockhaus, Wuppertal 1977 ( reprint of 1976 held four lectures, with a foreword by Klaus Haacker and Otto Michel ).
  • The way of the gospel tradition. In: Peter Stuhlmacher ( eds): The Gospel and the Gospels ( Scientific research for new Testamtent; 28). Mohr, Tübingen, 1983, pp. 79-102.

English:

  • Memory and Manuscript. Oral Tradition and Written Transmission in Rabbinic Judaism and Early Christianity ( Acta Seminarii Neotestamentici Upsaliensis; 22). Uppsala, 1961 ( dissertation), 2nd edition 1964.
  • Tradition and Transmission in Early Christianity ( Coniectanea Neotestamentica, 20). C.W.K. Gleerup, Lund 1964.
  • The Parable of the Sower and its interpretation. In: New Testament Studies 14 (1967 /68) pp. 165-193.
  • The Origins of the Gospel Traditions. Fortress Press, Philadelphia, 1979.
  • The Shema in the New Testament. Deut 6:4-5 in significant passages. Nova Press, Lund 1996 ( anthology of 17 essays earlier ).
  • The Secret of the Transmission of the Unwritten Jesus Tradition. In: New Testament Studies 51 (2005 ), pp. 1-18.

French:

  • Jésus et livré abandonné d'après la passion selon Saint Matthieu. In: Revue Biblique 76 (1969 ), pp. 206-227.

Swedish:

  • Ur Matteusevangeliet [Comment on Matthew 1-2, 5-7, 26-28 ]. In: Lars Hartman (ed.): Ur Nya Testamentet. Lund 1970, p 113-206.
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