Posted by Georg S. Adamsen on July 6, 2008
Theses and academic articles
Niels David Theodor Hellholm (b. 1941) is a Swede. Since 1984 Hellholm has served at Norwegian universities (see more in Norwegian here).
In his important contribution to the development of the problem of apocalyptic genre, Professor, dr.theol. David Hellholm, the author of, .e.g., Das Visionenbuch des Hermas als Apokalypse, analysed the Book of Revelation (see David Hellholm’s works). In another very technical article, Hellholm has analysed the prologue of Revelation (see David Hellholm, The Visions He Saw).
See also:
- “Apokalypse. I. Form und Gattung.” Pp. 585-8 in Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart. 4th ed. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1998.
- “Apokalyptik. I. Begriffsdefinition als religionsgeschichtliches Problem.” Pp. 590-1 in Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart. 4th ed. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1998.
- “Apokalyptiken som religionshistoriskt och litterärt fenomen.” [Apocalyptic as a religio-historical and literary phenomenon]. Nordisk Teologisk Tidsskrift 98 (1997): 131-42.
Dr.theol. Jarl Henning Ulrichsen wrote his second thesis on Revelation: “Das eschatologische Zeitschema der Offenbarung des Johannes” in 1988, for which he was awarded the degree of dr.phil. by the University of Trondheim in 1988. He is currently professor at the University of Trondheim.
Related to this work:
- Ulrichsen, Jarl Henning. “Die sieben Häupter und die zehn Hörner: Zur Datierung der Offenbarung des Johannes.” Studia Theologia 39 (1985): 1-20.
- Ulrichsen, Jarl Henning. “Dyret i Åpenbaringen: En skisse til tidshistorisk forståelse av kapitlene 13 og 17” (The Beast in The Book of Revelation: Towards a Contemporary-Historcal Understanding of Chapters 13 and 17). Norsk Teologisk Tidsskrift 87 (1986): 167-77.
A significant part (pp. 354-509) of Aage Hauken’s doctoral thesis, “The Greek Vocabulary of the Roman Imperial Cult and the New Testament,” is devoted to Revelation. The thesis is available on-line in a pdf-file. It was submitted as a Dissertatio ad lauream [doctoral thesis] to the Pontificia Universitas S. Thomae de Urbe, [1986-1991]. Aage Hauken’s 278 page book, Roma og de første kristne: En bok om dyrets tall [Rome and the First Christians: A Book on the Number of the Beast] (Oslo: St. Olav forlag, 1998), may be seen as a popularisation of some aspects of his doctoral thesis, according to Hauken. Hauken argues that the contemporary-historical situation is the key to Revelation, namely the Domitianic imperial cult in Ephesus.
Professor Peder Borgen, well-known on account of especially his Philo research, has written at least two articles on the imperial cult and persecution with relevance for Revelation:
- “Emperor Worship and Persecution in Philo’s In Flaccum and De legatione ad Gaium and the Revelation of John.” Pages 493-509 in Frühes Christentum. Edited by Hubert Cancik, Hermann Lichtenberger, and Peter Schäfer. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1996.
- “Moses, Jesus, and the Roman Emperor: Observations in Philo’s Writings and the Revelation of John.” Novum Testamentum 38 (1996): 145-59.
Sverre Bøe, assoc. professor at Fjellhaug Skoler, is the author of the thesis Gog and Magog (cf. Bruken).
Sigve Tonstad is the author of a doctoral thesis submitted to St. Andrews University, Scotland: Saving God’s Reputation: The Theologial Function of Pistis Iesou in the Cosmic Narratives of Revelation. Library of New Testament Studies, 337. London; New York: T & T Clark, 2006. [More to follow later]
Johan Lyder Brun, professor of the New Testament at the University of Oslo 1897-1940, argued that Revelation 13 and 17 must be interpreted contemporary-historically, in “Die Römischen Kaiser in Der Apokalypse.” Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft 26 (1927): 128-51. A short biography is here.
Martin Synnes, former assoc. Professor at The Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology, made important contributions to the study of the Book of Revelation (cf. “Synnes, Tusenårsrike” and further below). He argues that the resurrection of the martyrs in Rev 20:4-6 primarily functions as a rehabilitation. Olav Hovdelien surveyed the millennial problem as well in his M.Theol.-thesis, Martyrenes belønning. Perhaps one should also mention: Jon Olav Ryen. “Herold og tolk: Englenes funksjon i Johannes’ Åpenbaring.” Tidsskrift for Teologi og Kirke 68 (1997): 25-35.
Major scholarly commentaries
I have found no major scholarly commentary on Revelation originally written in Norwegian. A major commentary by C. H. A. Burger (Karl Heinrich August von Burger) was translated from German and published in 1889. The original Die Offenbarung St. Johannis is 347 pages long.
Other commentaries
A 85 page commentary by J. H. H. Brochmann, providing an a-historical interpretation, was issued in 1917 by the Publishing Company of the Norwegian Luther Foundation (Lutherstiftelsens Forlag).
Apparently no commentary was written in Norwegian between 1917 and 1960 when professor Olaf Moe published his 275 page commentary: Bibelens siste bok [The Last Book of the Bible]. Unlike the Swedish translation that was reprinted twice, it was apparently only printed once.
No commentaries being available for a long time, Lars Eritsland (b. 1913), a lecturer at the Bible School of the Inner Mission Society in Oslo, Norway, was persuaded to write a new commentary. This 231 page volume came out in 1978. It has been reprinted at least twice (1979 and 1990). Eritsland’s commentary is premillennial, but otherwise quite traditional. Eritsland often quotes Madsen, Torm and Moe.
Finally, professor of philosophy Egil A. Wyller (b. 1925) has published a volume, featuring a translation, an introduction and some essays (1986). A second edition was included in the author’s henological series in 1997.
In 1996 Martin Synnes (see above) published a very useful commentary on Revelation 2–3 (cf. Synnes, Sju profetiske budskap).
Translations
Translations include professor Frederik Torm’s Danish Johannes’ Aabenbaring (1942) and dr. David Hedegård’s Uppenbarelsebokens budskap till nutiden (1944) as well as von Burger’s commentary mentioned above. “Katolsk sokneprestembete, Arendal” published an exposition of the prophecies of Daniel and the Book of Revelation (”Forklaring av Daniels profetier og Johannes’ åpenbaring”), written by the Dutch J. van den Burg, a dr.theol. This 162 page book came out in Norwegian in 1965 (repr. 1967).
Updated: July 9th, 2008
Posted by Georg S. Adamsen on
D’Elia, John A. A Place At the Table: George Eldon Ladd and the Rehabilitation of Evangelical Scholarship in America. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. 304 pp.
George Eldon Ladd, an evangelical critic of dispensationalism and the author of a well-know commentar, is the subject of a brand new biography by John A. D’Elia. Ladd’s influence was large, his personal life depressing.
Table of Contents
Early life and academic preparation (1911-1950)
The emergence of a strategy (1950-1954)
Old battles and partial victories (1954-1959)
Beyond the borders (1959-1963)
The costs of engagement (1963-1966)
Surrendering the quest (1966-1982)
Michael F. Bird has a very detailed review over at Euangelion.
Amazon.co.uk info
Synopsis
George Eldon Ladd was a pivotal figure in the resurgence of evangelical scholarship in America during the years after the Second World War. Ladd’s career as a biblical scholar can be seen as a quest to rehabilitate evangelical thought both in content and image, a task he pursued at great personal cost. Best known for his work on the doctrine of the Kingdom of God, Ladd moved from critiquing his own movement to engaging many of the important theological and exegetical issues of his day. Ladd was a strong critic of dispensationalism, the dominant theological system in conservative evangelicalism and fundamentalism, challenging what he perceived to be its anti-intellectualism and uncritical approach to the Bible. In his impressive career at Fuller Theological Seminary, Ladd participated in scholarly debates on the relationship between faith and historical understanding, arguing that modern critical methodologies need not preclude orthodox Christian belief. Ladd also engaged the thought of Rudolf Bultmann, the dominant theological figure of his day. Ladd’s main focus, however, was to create a work of scholarship from an evangelical perspective that the broader academic world would accept.
When he was unsuccessful in this effort he descended into depression, bitterness and alcoholism. But Ladd played an important part in opening doors for later generations of evangelical scholars, both by validating and using critical methods in his own scholarly work, and also by entering into dialogue with theologians and theologies outside the evangelical world. It is a central theme of this book that Ladd’s achievement, at least in part, can be measured in the number of evangelical scholars who are today active participants in academic life across a broad range of disciplines.
HT: Ardel Caneday
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Posted by Georg S. Adamsen on July 5, 2008
Hellholm, David. “The Visions He Saw or: To Encode the Future in Writing: An Analysis of the Prologue of John’s Apocalyptic Letter.” In Text and Logos: The Humanistic Interpretation of the New Testament. (Festschrift Hendrikus W. Boers.) Edited by Theodore W. Jennings, Jr. Scholars Press Homage Series, 14. Atlanta, Georgia: Scholars Press, 1990, 109-46.
More to follow later.
Posted by Georg S. Adamsen on July 3, 2008
Drobner, Hubertus R. Lehrbuch der Patrologie. 2nd revised and expaned ed. Frankfurt am Main; New York: P. Lang, 2004. 532 pp.
Drobner, Hubertus R. The Fathers of the Church: A Comprehensive Introduction: With Bibliographies Updated and Expanded for the English Edition by William Harmless, and Hubertus R. Drobner. Translated by Siegfried S. Schatzmann. English ed. ed. Originally published as Lehrbuch der Patrologie. Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder, 1994. Repr. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 2007. lvi + 632 pp.
Drobner’s textbook is not a comprehensive dictionary, perhaps not even a comprensive introduction. It is a textbook as the German title indicates. Drobner provides very helpful introductions to the first eight centuries and to the most important Church fathers. A number of those who have written on Revelation are not included, however, e.g., Victorinus of Petovio and Caesarius of Arles.
The English edition is more than a translation, as the subtitle states. A helpful review by Vilhelm Pratscher (pdf) is published by Review of Biblical Literature. The Table of Contents of the English edition is provided by the Library of Congress.
In his amazon.com review, Dr. William Varner, the author of The Way of the Didache: The First Christian Handbook, questions whether it is really “a comprehensive introduction,” as most entries on the church fathers are covered in only one or two pages.
Nevertheless, Varner concludes:
This volume will become THE source to be consulted for “further reading” about the Fathers. But if the reader is looking for an introduction to the thought of the fathers, he can be better served by the old classic, Patrology by Johannes Quasten, or even better by the recent two volume work by Moreschini and Norelli, Early Christian Greek and Latin Literature.
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Posted by Georg S. Adamsen on July 1, 2008
Sandy, D. Brent, and Daniel M. O’Hare, eds. Prophecy and Apocalyptic: An Annotated Bibliography. IBR Bibliographies, vol. 4. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2007. 240 pp. $24,95.
This bibliography covers Old Testament Prophecy and Apocalyptic. As the Book of Revelation draws extensively on the OT, this work will be a very helpful tool for Revelation students as well. Only essays and books that were considered “significant” have been included.
Here is the publisher’s presentation of the book:
Introduces readers to the most essential works for students of Old Testament prophecy and apocalyptic literature with an emphasis on English-language titles.
With the proliferation of biblical studies research, it has become difficult for even the most dedicated scholars and students to stay abreast of the available resources. The IBR Bibliographies, produced under the auspices of the Institute for Biblical Research, are designed to guide students and scholars through this maze of literature to the most significant resources for study. In keeping with the intent of the series, Prophecy and Apocalyptic complements and expedites thorough, informed research. This volume introduces readers to the most essential works for students of Old Testament prophecy and apocalyptic literature with an emphasis on English-language titles. Annotations are included for each up-to-date bibliographic reference.
About the authors, according to the publisher:
D. Brent Sandy (PhD, Duke University) is professor and chair of the department of religious studies at Grace College (Winona Lake, Indiana). He is coeditor of Cracking Old Testament Codes: A Guide to Interpreting the Literary Genres of the Old Testament and author of Plowshares and Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and Apocalyptic.
Daniel M. O’Hare is a PhD student at the University of Notre Dame.
The Institute for Biblical Research provides an additional on-line bibliography with entries that were not included in the printed edition. The on-line edition assumes that users have access to the introductory materiale etc. of the printed edition.
The authors promises that “From time to time, this bibliography will be updated with newly published sources.”
Amazon.com provides access to the Table of Contents and to some sample pages.
HT: Bibliography on Prophecy and Apocalyptic
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Posted by Georg S. Adamsen on June 30, 2008
For many years Professor Torrey Seland, PhiloBlogger, has maintained a very valuable site: Resource Pages for Biblical Studies (RPBS). His section on Revelation includes several valuable resources.
Page Two of Resource Pages for Biblical Studies
Articles etc related to the Book of Revelation
RPBS is worth a visit! If you want to be informed of changes, subscribe to the RPBS Blog.
Torrey Seland is Professor of New Testament Studies at the School of Mission and Theology, Stavanger, Norway.
Posted by Georg S. Adamsen on June 14, 2008
Translations are very important tools. Good translations are helpful. Bad ones not so. Study Bibles may be very helpful. Or they may be quite the opposite.
ESV is, as far as I know, a good translation. An ESV Study Bible is in preparation. It will very likely be used by very many. Dennis Johnson, Fuller Theological Seminary, is the study notes contributor to Revelation. Johnson is the author of Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, 2001.
The Introduction to Revelation is available from the ESV Study Bible website: http://www.esvstudybible.org/images/excerpt-revelation-intro.pdf.
Here is a small sample:
What do you think about the introduction to Revelation? It would be nice to see your evaluation in the comments!
