Old Testament Scholarship at Uppsala University, 1866-1922

Abstract

This doctoral thesis looks at five biblical scholars at Uppsala University who were important figures in Swedish Old Testament Scholarship from 1866 to 1922: O. F. Myrberg, W. Rudin, J. A. Ekman, F. A. Johansson and E. Stave. The purpose is to describe and analyze these theologians’ interpretation of and approach to the Old Testament and to determine the influential factors which shaped their scholarship. In this analysis, I try to identify the historical, cultural, political, geographical, social, philosophical and personal factors which played a role in influencing each scholar and his approach to Old Testament studies. Since towards the end of the nineteenth century, the historical-critical method began to be seriously debated and accepted in certain theological circles in Sweden, the scholars’ response to historical criticism is considered in particular. The importance which the Bible Commission played in their work, affecting their own translations and biblical exegesis is also examined. Myrberg and Rudin advocated a biblical theology which emphasized a Bible-centred approach to interpreting the biblical text, stressing its organic unity. For Rudin the incarnational model became important for articulating his view of the Bible as both human and divine and helped him accommodate certain aspects of biblical criticism. Although Ekman remained fairly conservative theologically, he defended the critical view of a Second Isaiah in 1877. Johansson accepted the historical-critical method and applied it to his study of Daniel. In fact, none of the scholars rejected historical criticism completely. Rudin and Ekman became more open to historical-critical methodology in principle, even though they could not embrace it fully. Although Myrberg made certain concessions to historical criticism, he spent the latter part of his life fighting against its full acceptance. Stave, however, embraced the historical-critical method completely and played an important role in promoting and popularizing the approach in Sweden.