Gerhard von Rad
Gerhard von Rad was a German academic, Old Testament scholar, Lutheran theologian, exegete, and professor at the University of Heidelberg.
Early life, education, career
Gerhard von Rad was born in Nuremberg, Bavaria, to Lutheran parents. His family were part of the patrician class. He was educated at the University of Erlangen and further at the University of Tübingen.In 1925, he became a curate in the Lutheran Landeskirche of Bavaria. Later, he taught at the University of Erlangen in 1929 as tutor. In 1930 he was a privatdozent at the University of Leipzig. From 1934 to 1945 he served as a professor at the University of Jena and later at the University of Göttingen from 1945 to 1949. After that, he became Professor of Old Testament at the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg in the state of Baden-Württemberg and taught there until his death in 1971.
He was conferred honorary doctorates from the University of Lund, Sweden and the University of Wales, United Kingdom.
Oral tradition and the Pentateuch
Along with German biblical scholar Martin Noth, Gerhard von Rad applied form criticism, originated by Hermann Gunkel, to the documentary hypothesis.Nazi Germany's anti-Semitism led to an "anti-Old Testament" bias among German scholars. Disturbed by this, von Rad turned to the study of the Old Testament and gradually started to bring back its message.
His lively papers achieved a renewal of interest and research in Old Testament studies. Along with Martin Noth, he applied research into the Pentateuch's oral tradition to the explanation of its origin.
In 1960, von Rad traveled to the United States where he was a visiting scholar at Princeton Theological Seminary. He was greatly influential during this period. While at Princeton, he took on Richard A. Jensen as an understudy, who would also further his research and application.
Death
Gerhard von Rad and his wife are buried in Heidelberg's On their gravestone is minimalist artwork depicting Jonah emerging from the great fish, an Old Testament symbol of resurrection.Selected works
Publications
- The Problem of the Hexateuch and other essays
- Genesis: A Commentary
- Deuteronomy: A Commentary
- Studies in Deuteronomy ASIN B0007JWYNA
- Old Testament Theology
- Old Testament Theology, One-Volume Edition
- The Message of the Prophets: Old Testament Theology
- Holy War in Ancient Israel
- Das Alte Testament Deutsch, Tlbd.2/4, Das erste Buch Mose, Genesis
- God at work in Israel
- Biblical interpretations in preaching
- Gottes Wirken in Israel: Vorträge zum Alten Testament
- Wisdom in Israel
- The message of the prophets ASIN B0006C6BA0
- Weisheit in Israel ASIN B000E1Q3CY
- Theologie des Alten Testaments ASIN B0007JBBTI
- Basileia ASIN B000BGT0RW
- Theologie des Alten Testaments, Bd. 2.
- Kaiser Taschenbücher, Bd.1, Theologie des Alten Testaments. Die Theologie der geschichtlichen Überlieferungen Israels.
- Das Alte Testament Deutsch, Tlbd.8 : Das fünfte Buch Mose
- Erinnerungen aus der Kriegsgefangenschaft, Frühjahr 1945
- Predigt-Meditationen
- Eirene ASIN B0007FP9LI
- Origin of the concept of the day of Yahweh ASIN B0007JF2HA
- From Genesis to Chronicles: Explorations in Old Testament Theology ]
Scholarly impact
- Victor Premasagar, a Cambridge tripos and past Principal of the Andhra Christian Theological College, Secunderabad, India in introducing critical methods and tools used in Biblical interpretation writes about von Rad as:
- Henning Graf Reventlow of Ruhr University, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany in introducing a book by von Rad, makes the following observations:
- Gerhard Hasel of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary of Andrews University, Michigan, United States in writing about the approaches to OT studies, mentions von Rad with the words....,
- John H. Hayes, Professor at Candler School of Theology of the Emory University in Atlanta, United States writes about von Rad...
- G. Henton Davies, past Principal, Regent's Park College, a Permanent Private Hall of Oxford University, Oxford, England, writes about von Rad thus