Gustav Adolf Deissmann
Encyclopedia
Gustav Adolf Deissmann was a German Protestant theologian, best known for his leading work on the Greek language
used in the New Testament
, which he showed was the koine, or commonly used tongue of the Hellenistic world of that time.
(1897-1908), and then at the Friedrich Wilhelms University of Berlin (1908-1935). He was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and held eight honorary doctorates from 6 different countries.
In 1904 he founded, together with Albrecht Dieterich
, the Eranos circle in Heidelberg. Members included Ernst Troeltsch
, Max Weber
, Eberhard Gothein, Georg Jellinek
, Karl Rathgen
, and Wilhelm Windelband
.
In Berlin, Deissmann's academic focus began to shift from Greek philology to the ecumenical movement, church reform and, significantly, international Völkerverständigung (i.e. peace-promoting mutual understanding between nations and cultures). From 1914 until 1922 he produced a regular semi-political international communiqué, the Evangelischer Wochenbrief (1914-1921), with its English equivalent Protestant Weekly Letters (1914-1917). Its target audience was primarily influential German and American Christians, and it provided a forum for the advancement of peace and understanding among nations.
In 1925 Deissmann became aware of the disintegration of ancient Ephesus
, a historically important archaeological site, partly excavated before World War I under the auspices of the Austrian Archaeological Institute. Deissmann campaigned single-handedly for several years, both on a national and international level, to raise awareness of the plight of Ephesus, and managed to organise funding for the archaeological work to recommence in 1926, and continued annually until 1929.
Deissmann died on 5 April 1937, in Wünsdorf near Berlin, where he is buried in the local cemetery.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
used in the New Testament
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....
, which he showed was the koine, or commonly used tongue of the Hellenistic world of that time.
Life
Deissmann was professor of theology at the Ruprecht Karl University of HeidelbergRuprecht Karl University of Heidelberg
The Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg is a public research university located in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386, it is the oldest university in Germany and was the third university established in the Holy Roman Empire. Heidelberg has been a coeducational institution...
(1897-1908), and then at the Friedrich Wilhelms University of Berlin (1908-1935). He was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and held eight honorary doctorates from 6 different countries.
In 1904 he founded, together with Albrecht Dieterich
Albrecht Dieterich
Albrecht Dieterich was a German classical philologist and religious scholar who was a native of Hersfeld.He studied at the Universities of Leipzig and Bonn, where at the latter he was a student of Hermann Usener , who in 1899 became Dieterich's father-in-law...
, the Eranos circle in Heidelberg. Members included 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...
, Max Weber
Max Weber
Karl Emil Maximilian "Max" Weber was a German sociologist and political economist who profoundly influenced social theory, social research, and the discipline of sociology itself...
, Eberhard Gothein, Georg Jellinek
Georg Jellinek
Georg Jellinek was an Austrian public lawyer. Along with Hans Kelsen and the Hungarian Felix Somlo he belonged to the group of Austrian Legal Positivists and was considered to be "the exponent of public law in Austria“.-Early life:From 1867, Jellinek studied law, history of art and philosophy at...
, Karl Rathgen
Karl Rathgen
Karl Rathgen was a German Economist. He was the first Chancellor of the University of Hamburg....
, and Wilhelm Windelband
Wilhelm Windelband
Wilhelm Windelband was a German philosopher of the Baden School.Windelband is now mainly remembered for the terms nomothetic and idiographic, which he introduced. These have currency in psychology and other areas, though not necessarily in line with his original meanings...
.
In Berlin, Deissmann's academic focus began to shift from Greek philology to the ecumenical movement, church reform and, significantly, international Völkerverständigung (i.e. peace-promoting mutual understanding between nations and cultures). From 1914 until 1922 he produced a regular semi-political international communiqué, the Evangelischer Wochenbrief (1914-1921), with its English equivalent Protestant Weekly Letters (1914-1917). Its target audience was primarily influential German and American Christians, and it provided a forum for the advancement of peace and understanding among nations.
In 1925 Deissmann became aware of the disintegration of ancient Ephesus
Ephesus
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era...
, a historically important archaeological site, partly excavated before World War I under the auspices of the Austrian Archaeological Institute. Deissmann campaigned single-handedly for several years, both on a national and international level, to raise awareness of the plight of Ephesus, and managed to organise funding for the archaeological work to recommence in 1926, and continued annually until 1929.
Deissmann died on 5 April 1937, in Wünsdorf near Berlin, where he is buried in the local cemetery.
Selected works by Deissmann
- 1892, Die neutestamentliche Formel "in Christo Jesu" untersucht (Habilitationsschrift)
- 1895, Bibelstudien. Beiträge, zumeist aus den Papyri und Inschriften, zur Geschichte der Sprache, des Schrifttums und der Religion des hellenistischen Judentums und des Urchristentums, Marburg
- 1897, Neue Bibelstudien. Sprachgeschichtliche Beiträge, zumeist aus den Papyri und Inschriften, zur Erklärung des Neuen Testaments, Marburg
- 1901, Bible Studies: Contributions chiefly from papyri and inscriptions, to the history of language, the literature and the religion of Hellenistic Judaism and primitive Christianity, A. Grieve, transl., Edinburgh
- 1905, Veröffentlichungen aus der Heidelberger Papyrus-Sammlung. I, Die Septuaginta-Papyri und andere altchristliche Texte, Heidelberg
- 1908, The philology of the Greek bible: its present and its future, L.R.M. Strachan, transl., London
- 1908, Licht vom Osten. Das Neue Testament und die neuentdeckten Texte der hellenistisch-römischen Welt, Tübingen (best edition: 1923)
- 1910, Light from the ancient East. The New Testament illustrated by recently discovered texts of the Graeco-Roman world, L.R.M. Strachan, transl., London
- 1911, Paulus. Eine kultur- und religionsgeschichtliche Skizze, Tübingen
- 1914-21, Evangelischer Wochenbrief
- 1914-17, Protestant Weekly Letter
- 1923, The religion of Jesus and the faith of Paul. The Selly Oak Lectures, 1923 on the communion of Jesus with God & the communion of Paul with Christ, W.E. Wilson, transl., London
- 1925, ‘Adolf Deissmann’, in Die Religionswissenschaft der Gegenwart in Selbstdarstellungen, E. Stange, ed., Leipzig, pp. 42-78
Further reading
- A. Gerber, 'Protestantism and Social Liberalism in Imperial Germany: Gustav Adolf Deissmann (1866-1937) and Friedrich Naumann (1860-1919)', in Australian Journal of Politics and History, vol. 57, nr. 2, 2011, pp. 174-187.
- C. Markschies, ‘Adolf Deißmann – ein Heidelberger Pionier der Ökumene’, in Zeitschrift für neuere Theologiegeschichte, 12, 2005, pp. 47-88.
- C. Markschies, ‘Adolf Deißmann. Ein Pionier der Ökumene’, in C. Möller, et al., eds., Wegbereiter der Ökumene im 20. Jahrhundert, Göttingen, 2005, pp. 32-53.
- C. Nottmeier, ‘Ein unbekannter Brief Max Webers an Adolf Deißmann’, in Mitteilungen der Ernst-Troeltsch-Gesellschaft, vol. 13, Augsburg, 2000, pp. 99-131.
- C. Nottmeier, ‘Hermann Cohen und Adolf Deißmann: Dokumente aus dem Nachlaß Adolf Deißmanns’, in Zeitschrift für neuere Theologiegeschichte, 9, 2002, pp. 302-25.
- G. Harder / G/ Deissmann, Zum Gedenken an Adolf Deissmann. Vortrag anläßlich des 100. Geburtstages von Adolf Deissmann am 7. November 1966, gehalten am 26. April 1967 vor den Dozenten und Studenten der Kirchlichen Hochschule in Berlin, Bremen, 1967.
External links
- On Deissmann's linguistic ideas by James Hope MoultonJames Hope MoultonReverend James Hope Moulton, born on 11 October 1863, and died at sea on 9 April 1917, was an English non-conformist divine.-Biography:His family had a strong Methodist background. His father was the first headmaster of the Leys School, Cambridge where James was one of the first students. After...
, 1914 - Schaff-Herzog article, Hellenistic Greek by Deissmann