Helmut Koester
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Helmut Heinrich Koester | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 18, 1926 Weimar Germany |
| Died | January 1, 2016 (aged 89) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Scholar of the New Testament and Early Christianity |
| Spouse | Gisela Harrassowitz |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Marburg, Germany |
| Thesis | Synoptic Tradition in the Apostolic Fathers (1954) |
| Academic work | |
| Institutions | Harvard Divinity School |
| Notable works | Introduction to the New Testament (in two volumes) |
Helmut Heinrich Koester (December 18, 1926 – January 1, 2016) was an American scholar who specialized in the New Testament and early Christianity at Harvard Divinity School. His research was primarily in the areas of New Testament interpretation, history of early Christianity, and archaeology of the early Christian period.
Life
Koester was born in
Koester was an ordained minister of the Lutheran Church. In 1953, he married Gisela Harrassowitz, with whom he had four children, named Reinhild, Almut, Ulrich, and Heiko. He had three grandchildren including Christopher, Lukas, and Alexander. He died on January 1, 2016, at the age of 89.[1]
Work
In his dissertation (published as Synoptische Überlieferung bei den Apostolischen Vätern, i.e. "Synoptic Tradition in the Apostolic Fathers"), Koester was able to demonstrate that much material in the so-called Apostolic Fathers that parallels elements in the Synoptic Gospels need not necessarily reflect dependence upon the written form of the Synoptics known to us. This was an extremely significant observation, and one with which all subsequent scholarship on early Christian gospel traditions would have to reckon. Among his numerous subsequent publications, his two-volume Introduction to the New Testament has become a standard reference work. Koester views the narratives of Jesus' virgin birth as having roots in Hellenistic mythology.[2]
Controversy
Koester was alleged by Elaine Pagels to have sexually harassed her.[3]
Select works
Books
- Koester, Helmut (1957). Synoptische Überlieferung bei den Apostolischen Vätern. TU. Vol. 65. Berlin.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ———; OCLC 153829.
- ——— (1982). History, Culture, and Religion of the Hellenistic Age. Introduction to the New Testament. Vol. 1. New York: De Gruyter. OCLC 857587519.
- ——— (1982). Introduction to the New Testament. Hermeneia: foundations and facets. Vol. 1. Minneapolis, MS: Fortress Press. OCLC 8669669.
- ——— (1982). Introduction to the New Testament. Hermeneia: foundations and facets. Vol. 2. Minneapolis, MS: Fortress Press. OCLC 8669669.
- ——— (1985). History and Literature of Early Christianity. Introduction to the New Testament. Vol. 2. New York: De Gruyter. OCLC 979906796.
- ——— (1990). Ancient Christian Gospels. Harrisburg: Trinity Press International. ISBN 0334024501.
- ——— (2007). Paul & His World: Interpreting the New Testament in its Context. Minneapolis, MS: Fortress Press. OCLC 71004165.
- ——— (2007). From Jesus to the Gospels: Interpreting the New Testament in its Context. Minneapolis, MS: Fortress Press. OCLC 86117504.
Edited by
———, ed. (1995). Ephesos Metropolis of Asia: an interdisciplinary approach to its archaeology, religion, and culture. Harvard Theological Studies. Vol. 41. Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International.
References
- ^ "Preeminent New Testament Scholar Helmut Koester Passes Away at 89 | Harvard Divinity School". Hds.harvard.edu. 1926-12-18. Retrieved 2016-01-05.
- ISBN 978-0334024590, p. 306.
- ^ Riess, Jana (October 26, 2018). "Elaine Pagels on grief, her #MeToo story, and why we find meaning in religion". Religion News Service.
Sources
External links
- "Helmut Koester's faculty page at Harvard Divinity School". Archived from the original on 30 September 2015.
- Preeminent New Testament Scholar Helmut Koester Passes Away at 89, January 4, 2016
