[faithandlife] Re: [FaithandLife] N.T. WRIGHT OVERVIEW

Message: < previous - next > : Reply : Subscribe : Cleanse
Home   : May 2003 : Group Archive : Group : All Groups

From: <gdvw@...>
Date: Wed, 21 May 2003 23:53:57 -0000 (GMT)
   Charles: Was A. Schweitzer a pre-Baarthian? GDVW+
>
> Thank you for the concise and insightful overview.
>
> In regards to the first chapter, I have to grouse a bit, but this is not
> a serious criticism as it relates to Wright's evaluation of a modern
> scholar, not of St. Paul or Jesus.  N. T. Wright gives extravagant
> praise to Albert Schweitzer as "a lonely and learned giant amidst the
> hordes of noisy and shallow theological pygmies" during the first half
> of the 20th century.  Wright has made me re-think where to categorize
> Schweitzer, in the scheme of things, and better understand the strengths
> he sees in Schweitzer.
>
> While there is no doubt that Schweitzer was a genius, I have always
> thought since he stopped Biblical research and writing while in his mid
> thirties, he was a little less than mature as a Biblical scholar.  He
> certainly exposed the emptiness of modernism, but he seems to me to have
> given up on the Quest for the Historical Jesus a bit too soon.  Also,
> his later writings of a philosophic nature have a "New Age" sound, and
> puts him more in the line of Schliermacher than not.  The emphasis at
> the end of Schweitzer's quest seems to me more on the individual's
> emotional response to a perceived call of a shadowy Christ than to a
> more substantial recognition of  the Reign of God.
>
> N.T. Wright's in depth research and proflific writing reveals the
> immense amount of work that remained to be done on "the Quest" at the
> beginning as well as at the end of the 20th century.
>
> Also, it seems to me that his slight reference to Karl Barth (last
> paragraph p.16), is to overlook a major force in the same sort of work
> as Wright does.  Barth wrote extensive replies to the challenges of
> Bultmann.  N. T. Wright refers to  the work of Kaseman on page 17.  Many
> of the themes from Paul which Kasemannn addresses are covered
> extensively by Barth a generation earlier.  Kasemann could hardly have
> worked in a German university and not been well aware of Barth.
>
> Again, not a serious criticism.  I'm ready for chapter 2.
>
> Charles+
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________
> Get advanced SPAM filtering on Webmail or POP Mail ... Get Lycos Mail!
> http://login.mail.lycos.com/r/referral?aid=27005
>
> --
> To unsubscribe, send ANY message to
> <faithandlife-unsubscribe@...>



-----------------------------------------

During the Lenten Season, please help support the mission of
Catholic Online by purchasing goods and services from our sponsors
at http://www.catholic.org/clife/lent