Kurt Aland


Kurt Aland was a German theologian and biblical scholar who specialized in New Testament textual criticism. He founded the Institute for [New Testament Textual Research|Institut für neutestamentliche Textforschung] in Münster and served as its first director from 1959 to 1983. He was one of the principal editors of Nestle–Aland – Novum Testamentum Graece for the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft and The Greek New Testament for the United Bible Societies.

Life

Aland was born in Berlin-Steglitz. He started studying theology in 1933 at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Berlin. On 23 March that year, he was examined before the Bruderrat in the Bekennende Kirche. During his studies, he worked for the journal of the Confessing Church, Junge Kirche. In an ideological brochure, Wer fälscht?, written against Mathilde 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 of Hans Lietzmann. In 1940, he was released from military service; and, in 1941, after Lietzmann's death, he took over the responsibilities of editing the Theologische Literaturzeitung. He graduated that same year, and in 1944 was ordained as minister of the parish of Berlin-Steglitz.
After World War II, Aland became a lecturer on the theological faculty of the Humboldt University of Berlin. In 1947, he was appointed professor ordinarius in Halle (Saale).
Aland disapproved of the Marxist government of East Germany, and was persecuted as a result. In 1953, he was accused of smuggling watches to West Berlin and 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, Aland became a professor at the University of Münster, Germany. In 1960 he declined the offer for a professorship at the University of Chicago. In Münster he founded the Institute for New Testament Textual Research 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 the Nestle–Aland – Novum Testamentum Graece and The Greek New Testament for the United Bible Societies.
Aland was married twice. His first marriage was to Ingeborg Aland. In 1972, he married Barbara Aland. He died in Münster, Germany, in 1994.

Achievements

Kurt Aland was representative of increasing specialism within theological-historical studies. In the field of New Testament research, his work 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. He discovered numerous manuscripts of the New Testament, whose evaluation is still in progress. Most notable among his work was the newly arranged edition of Novum Testamentum Graece in 1979. 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 the Institute for New Testament Textual Research.
Another priority in his life was church history, being concerned with the early church, the Reformation, and movements such as pietism and 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. Aland was of the opinion that every work within historical research stands on its adherence to reliability and accessibility.
The archives of Kurt Aland are held in the University Archives of the University of Münster, Germany.

Honors

Kurt Aland achieved the following honorary doctorates:
He received the following awards:
Kurt Aland was a member of the following academies:
Festschriften:
  • Text – Wort – Glaube in Honour of Kurt Aland, ed. Martin Brecht
  • Grundlagen der Apologetik: Kurt Aland zum 70. Geburtstag, published by "Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Religions- und Weltanschauungsfragen"
  • Supplementa zu den Neutestamentlichen und den Kirchengeschichtlichen Entwürfen in Honour of Kurt Aland presented to his 75th birthday, ed. Beate Köster, Hans-Udo Rosenbaum, Michael Welte
The American Society of Biblical Literature elected him an Honorary Member. Furthermore, Aland was elected an Honorary Life Member in 1966 by the American Bible Society.

Works

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

Books translated or written in English

  • Greek New Testament by Kurt and Barbara Aland, German Bible Society; 5 revised ed. ;
  • Novum Testamentum Graece – Nestle–Aland by Kurt and Barbara Aland, German Bible Society; 28 Rev Blg ed.,
  • Synopsis of the Four Gospels edited by Kurt Aland, United Bible Societies, 1985,
  • .
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  • Catholic Letters: Text and Suppliementary Material by Kurt and Barbara Aland, German Bible Society; Rev Mul ed.,
  • A History of Christianity: From the Beginnings to the Threshold of the Reformation by Kurt Aland, Fortress Pr,
  • A History of Christianity: From the Reformation to the Present by Kurt Aland, Fortress Pr,
  • New Testament Textual Criticism, Exegesis and Church History A Discussion of Methods by Kurt Aland and J Delobel, Peeters,
  • Four reformers: Luther, Melanchthon, Calvin, Zwingli by Kurt Aland, Augsburg Pub. House,
  • Martin Luther's 95 Theses by Kurt Aland, Concordia Publishing,
  • The correspondence of Heinrich Melchior Mühlenberg by Kurt Aland, Camden, Maine : Picton Press, c. 1986, 1993
  • Saints and Sinners – Men and Ideas in the Early Church by Kurt Aland, Fortress Press, ASIN B0006CPJSU
  • A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament. A Companion Volume to the United Bible Societies Greek New Testament by B. M. Metzger and the Editorial Committee of the United Bible Societies Greek New Testament, 1971;
  • The New Testament : Ancient Greek with Today's English Version by Kurt Aland, Matthew Black, Bruce Metzger and Allen Wikgren, American Bible Society, ASIN B002ULOMFG.

    Books in German language

  • Spener-Studien, 1943, ;
  • 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,, 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,, 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,, 1979;
  • Der Text des Neuen Testaments. Einführung in die wissenschaftlichen Ausgaben sowie in Theorie und Praxis der modernen Textkritik, 1982, 1989;
  • 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,, 1986;
  • Text und Textwert der griechischen Handschriften des Neuen Testaments, vol. I-III, 1987 ff.;