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Kurt Aland

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Kurt Aland
FBA
Born(1915-03-28)28 March 1915
Berlin-Steglitz,German Empire
Died13 April 1994(1994-04-13)(aged 79)
Münster,Germany
NationalityGerman
Occupation(s)Biblical scholar,textual critic,author
Notable workGreek New Testament,Novum Testamentum Graece,Categories of New Testament manuscripts,Institute for New Testament Textual Research,Synopsis of the Four Gospels,Editio Critica Maior
Spouses
Ingeborg Aland
​
(m.1941⁠–⁠1971)​
​
(m.1972⁠–⁠1994)​
ChildrenChrista, Detlef, Andreas
Theological work
Era20th century
Main interestsTextual criticism of the New Testament,Manuscripts of the New Testament

Kurt AlandFBA(28 March 1915 – 13 April 1994) was a German theologian andbiblical scholarwho specialized inNew Testamenttextual criticism.He founded theInstitut für neutestamentliche Textforschung(Institute for New Testament Textual Research) inMünsterand served as its first director from 1959 to 1983. He was one of the principal editors ofNestle–Aland – Novum Testamentum Graecefor theDeutsche BibelgesellschaftandThe Greek New Testamentfor theUnited Bible Societies.

Life

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Aland was born inBerlin-Steglitz.He started studying theology in 1933 at theFriedrich-Wilhelms-Universitätin Berlin (he also studied philology, archaeology, and history). On 23 March that year, he was examined before theBruderrat(council of brothers) in theBekennende Kirche(Confessing Church). During his studies, he worked for the journal of the Confessing Church,Junge Kirche(Young Church). In an ideological brochure,Wer fälscht?(Who is lying?), written againstMathilde Ludendorff,he confirmed the position of the Confessing Church and identified with them. In 1939, he studied for his bachelor's degree under the guidance ofHans Lietzmann.In 1940, he was released from military service; and, in 1941, after Lietzmann's death, he took over the responsibilities of editing theTheologische Literaturzeitung(the only German theological magazine at that time). He graduated that same year, and in 1944 was ordained as minister of the parish ofBerlin-Steglitz.

AfterWorld War II,Aland became a lecturer on the theological faculty of theHumboldt University of Berlin.In 1947, he was appointed professor ordinarius inHalle (Saale).

Aland disapproved of the Marxist government ofEast Germany,and was persecuted as a result. In 1953, he was accused of smuggling watches toWest Berlinand was kept under arrest for three months. Aland frequently spoke out against various forms of state oppression directed at churches and also demanded freedom of speech in East Germany. In July 1958, he lost his job at the University. However, in September of that year, he successfully escaped to West Berlin. His 8000-volume library was incorporated into the University Library.

In 1958, he became a professor at theUniversity of Münster,Germany. Aland declined the offer for a professorship at theUniversity of Chicagoin 1960.[1][2]In Münster he founded theInstitute for New Testament Textual Research( "Institut für neutestamentliche Textforschung" ) in 1959, which he directed until 1983. Furthermore, he founded the world's first "Bible Museum"in 1979, which was unique in the world for many years. His institute achieved worldwide recognition by publishing theNestle–Aland – Novum Testamentum GraeceandThe Greek New Testamentfor theUnited Bible Societies.

Aland was married twice. His first marriage was to Ingeborg Aland (they had three children together). In 1972, he marriedBarbara Aland.He died inMünster,Germany,in 1994.

Relevance

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Kurt Aland was representative of increasing specialism within theological-historical studies.[3]In the field of New Testament research, his work (and also the work that he did together with his wifeBarbara Alandin theInstitute for New Testament Textual Researchin Münster) is internationally acclaimed.

The focus of his work began as an intense and adventurous search for old manuscripts on several expeditions to abbeys in Russia and Greece (amongst others). He discovered numerous manuscripts of the New Testament, whose evaluation is still in progress.[4]Most notable among his work was the newly arranged edition ofNovum Testamentum Graece(Greek New Testament) in 1979 (also called Nestle–Aland).[3]This textual foundation for the New Testament exemplifies a scholarly mentality aimed at achieving the highest possible convergence with the "original text."

Furthermore, he acted in the Hermann-Kunst-Stiftung, which was founded in 1964 by Hermann Kunst, a good friend of Aland. Many important figures within politics and economics participated in the sponsorship of theInstitute for New Testament Textual Research.

Another priority in his life was church history, being concerned with the early church, theReformation,and movements such aspietismand revivalism.

Aland received critical acclaim for his profundity and comprehensive knowledge of the textual sources for the New Testament. His contemporary presence is relevant, having contributed to modern scientific methodology.[3]Aland was of the opinion that every work within historical research stands on its adherence to reliability and accessibility.

The archives (Nachlass) of Kurt Aland are provided in the University Archives of theUniversity of Münster,Germany.[5]

Honors

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Kurt Aland's 70th Birthday from left to right: Kurt Aland, Hermann Kunst, President of GermanyWalter Scheel,Wilfried Schlüter, Eduard Lohse, ArchbishopMor Julius Yeshu Cicek

Kurt Aland achieved the following honorary doctorates:

He received the following awards:

Kurt Aland was a member of the following academies:

Festschriften:

  • Text – Wort – Glaubein Honour of Kurt Aland, ed. Martin Brecht (De Gruyter, Berlin, New York, 1980,ISBN3-11-007318-8)
  • Grundlagen der Apologetik: Kurt Aland zum 70. Geburtstag,published by "Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Religions- und Weltanschauungsfragen" (Munich, 1985,ISBN3-921513-68-5)
  • Supplementa zu den Neutestamentlichen und den Kirchengeschichtlichen Entwürfenin Honour of Kurt Aland presented to his 75th birthday, ed. Beate Köster, Hans-Udo Rosenbaum, Michael Welte (De Gruyter, Berlin, New York, 1990,ISBN3110121425,9783110121421)

The AmericanSociety of Biblical Literatureelected him an Honorary Member. Furthermore, Aland was elected an Honorary Life Member in 1966 by theAmerican Bible Society.[6]

Works

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The grave of Kurt Aland on the Central Cemetery Münster, Germany.

Kurt Aland wrote and published numerous books and articles in magazines; his bibliography lists 477 publications.[13]Therefore, the following list provides only an excerpt of his work.

Books translated or written in English

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  • Greek New Testamentby Kurt and Barbara Aland (and others), German Bible Society; 5 revised ed. (August 2014);ISBN978-1-61970139-7
  • Novum Testamentum Graece – Nestle–Alandby Kurt and Barbara Aland (and others), German Bible Society; 28 Rev Blg ed. (December 1, 2012),ISBN978-1-61970046-8
  • Synopsis of the Four Gospelsedited by Kurt Aland, United Bible Societies, 1985,ISBN978-0-82670500-6
  • Aland, Kurt (February 9, 2004) [1963; Die Sauglingstaufe im Neuen Testament und in der alten Kirche, 1961],Did the Early Church Baptize Infants?,Wipf & Stock,ISBN978-1-59244541-7.
  • ———; Aland, Barbara (1987),The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism,ISBN978-0-80284098-1.
  • Catholic Letters: Text and Suppliementary Material (Editio Critica Maior: Novum Testamentum Graece)by Kurt and Barbara Aland (and others), German Bible Society; Rev Mul ed. (October 2013),ISBN978-1-61970045-1
  • A History of Christianity: From the Beginnings to the Threshold of the Reformation (History of Christianity) (Volume 1)by Kurt Aland, Fortress Pr (February 1985),ISBN978-0-80060725-8
  • A History of Christianity: From the Reformation to the Present (Volume 2)by Kurt Aland, Fortress Pr (September 1986),ISBN978-0-80060759-3
  • New Testament Textual Criticism, Exegesis and Church History A Discussion of Methods (Contributions to Biblical Exegesis & Theology)by Kurt Aland and J Delobel, Peeters (January 1, 1994),ISBN978-903900105-9
  • Four reformers: Luther, Melanchthon, Calvin, Zwingliby Kurt Aland, Augsburg Pub. House (1979),ISBN978-0-80661709-1
  • Martin Luther's 95 Thesesby Kurt Aland, Concordia Publishing (December 30, 2004),ISBN978-0-75860844-4
  • The correspondence of Heinrich Melchior Mühlenbergby Kurt Aland, Camden, Maine: Picton Press, c. 1986, 1993
  • Saints and Sinners – Men and Ideas in the Early Churchby Kurt Aland, Fortress Press (1970), ASIN B0006CPJSU
  • A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament. A Companion Volume to the United Bible Societies Greek New Testament(3. ed.) by B. M. Metzger and theEditorial Committee of the United Bible Societies Greek New Testament(K. Aland, M. Black, C. M. Martini, B. M. Metzger andAllen Wikgren), 1971;
  • The New Testament: Ancient Greek with Today's English Versionby Kurt Aland, Matthew Black, Bruce Metzger and Allen Wikgren, American Bible Society (1966), ASIN B002ULOMFG.

Books in German language

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  • Spener-Studien,1943, (= Arbeiten zur Geschichte des Pietismus I. Arbeiten zur Kirchengeschichte vol. 28);
  • Kirchengeschichtliche Entwürfe: Alte Kirche – Reformation und Luthertum – Pietismus und Erweckungsbewegung,1960.
  • Die Säuglingstaufe im Neuen Testament und in der alten Kirche. Eine Antwort an Joachim Jeremias,(= TEH; N.F. 86), 1961;Über den Glaubenswechsel in der Geschichte des Christentums,1961;
  • "Bibel und Bibeltexte bei August Hermann Francke und Johann Albrecht Bengel ". In:Pietismus und Bibel,(= AGP;9), 1970, 89–147;
  • Taufe und Kindertaufe. 40 Sätze zur Aussage des Neuen Testaments und dem historischen Befund, zur modernen Debatte darüber und den Folgerungen daraus für die kirchliche Praxis – zugleich eine Auseinandersetzung mit Karl Barths Lehre von der Taufe,1971;
  • Neutestamentliche Entwürfe,(= Theol. Bücherei, NT; 63), 1979;
  • Der Text des Neuen Testaments. Einführung in die wissenschaftlichen Ausgaben sowie in Theorie und Praxis der modernen Textkritik(withBarbara Aland), 1982, 1989;English translation
  • Die Grundurkunde des Glaubens. Ein Bericht über 40 Jahre Arbeit an ihrem Text.Em: Bericht der Hermann Kunst- Stiftung zur Förderung der Neutestamentlichen Textforschung für die Jahre 1982 bis 1984, 1985, 9–75;
  • Das Neue Testament – zuverlässig überliefert. Die Geschichte des neutestamentlichen Textes und die Ergebnisse der modernen Textforschung,(= Wissenswertes zur Bibel; 4), 1986;
  • Text und Textwert der griechischen Handschriften des Neuen Testaments,vol. I-III (= Arbeiten zur neutestamentlichen Textforschung), 1987 ff.;

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toKurt Aland.

References

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  1. ^Kurt Aland – In Memoriam,1995, p. 15'
  2. ^Archive of the University of Münster/Germany
  3. ^abcOdin, Karl-Alfred (March 28, 1985), "Entdecker und Wissenschaftorganisator von hohen Gnaden",Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung(in German).
  4. ^Köhler, Horst (December 9, 2009),Speech of the President of Germany(PDF)(in German).
  5. ^Jahresbericht(in German), Uni Münster, 2014.]
  6. ^abcdText, Wort, Glaube,S. 13.
  7. ^Geschichte in Wissenschaft und Unterricht.Band 34, S. 740.
  8. ^Westfälische Nachrichten,26.10.1985
  9. ^FAZ,1.11.1985
  10. ^Kleine Meldungen,Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 11. Dezember 1993
  11. ^Homepage of The Lutheran Historical Society of the Mid-AtlanticArchivedFebruary 28, 2014, at theWayback Machine
  12. ^"Kurt Aland (1915–1994)"(in Dutch). Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.RetrievedJuly 15,2015.
  13. ^"Kurt Aland – In memoriam" 1995, the Hermann Kunst-Stiftung zur Förderung der neutestamentlichen Textforschung.
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