Hermann Olshausen (21 August 1796 – 4 September 1839) was a German

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

Biography

Olshausen was born at Oldeslohe in

Holstein Holstein (; nds, label=Northern Low Saxon, Holsteen; da, Holsten; Latin and historical en, Holsatia, italic=yes) is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is the southern half of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of German ...

. He was educated at the universities of

Kiel Kiel () is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 246,243 (2021). Kiel lies approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the southeast of the Jutland ...

(1814) and

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

(1816), where he was influenced by

Schleiermacher Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher (; 21 November 1768 – 12 February 1834) was a German Reformed theologian, philosopher, and biblical scholar known for his attempt to reconcile the criticisms of the Enlightenment with traditional ...

and

Neander Neander may refer to: ;Surname * August Neander (1789–1850), a German theologian and church historian * Ernst Neumann-Neander (1871–1954), founder of the now defunct Neander motorcycle manufacturer * Joachim Neander (1650–1680), Calvinist tea ...

. In 1817 he was awarded the prize at the Festival of the ReformationThe Wartburg Festival, held on October 18, 1817. Se
The Wartburg Festival (1817)
accessed 28 February 2016 for an essay, '' Melanchthons Charakteristik aus seinen Briefen dargestellt'' (1818). This essay brought him to the notice of the

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...

n Minister of Public Worship, and in 1820 he became '' Privatdozent'' at Berlin. In 1821, he became

professor extraordinarius Academic ranks in Germany are the titles, relative importance and power of professors, researchers, and administrative personnel held in academia. Overview Appointment grades * (Pay grade: ''W3'' or ''W2'') * (''W3'') * (''W2'') * (''W2'', ...

at the

University of Königsberg The University of Königsberg (german: Albertus-Universität Königsberg) was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as the world's second Protestant academy (after the University of Marburg) by Duke Albert of Pruss ...

, and in 1827 professor. In 1834, he became professor at the

University of Erlangen A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

. Olshausen's expertise lay in

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...

exegesis Exegesis ( ; from the Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Biblical works. In modern usage, exegesis can involve critical interpretation ...

; his ''Kommentar über sämmtliche Schriften des Neuen Testaments'' (Commentary on the complete text of the New Testament; completed and revised by Ebrard and Wiesinger) began to appear at Königsberg in 1830, and was translated into English in 4 volumes (Edinburgh, 1847–1849). He had prepared for it by his other works, ''Die Echtheit der vier kanonischen Evangelien, aus der Geschichte der zwei ersten Jahrhunderte erwiesen'' (The veracity of the four canonical Gospels demonstrated from the history of the first two centuries, 1823), ''Ein Wort über tieferen Schriftsinn'' (1824) and ''Die biblische Schriftauslegung'' (1825). In the latter two works, he presents his method of exegesis, and rejects the doctrine of verbal inspiration.

Family

He was a brother of

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

Theodor Olshausen and orientalist Justus Olshausen.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Olshausen, Hermann 1796 births 1839 deaths People from Bad Oldesloe 19th-century German Protestant theologians People from the Duchy of Holstein University of Kiel alumni Humboldt University of Berlin alumni Academic staff of the Humboldt University of Berlin Academic staff of the University of Königsberg Academic staff of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg 19th-century German male writers German male non-fiction writers