>Edgar Krentz wrote:
>>
>>
>> ...[SNIP] most people who work in the
>> NT have to have at least minimal German.
>>
>As a new (English) student of Greek, could you fill me in on why
German
>is important? [I'm having enough difficulty as it is!] Is this still
>true today? I'm assuming from the context that it is because previous
>great scholars of Greek were German and wrote in German? Am I doomed
>because I foresee no chance of ever learning german....
>
>Greg Kilbrai
Michael Kramer's response was very good. Let me add to it.
1. The major works on Greek grammar and philology have been German. I
think of the Schwyzer-Debrunner grammar of Greek in the Handbuh der
altertumswissenschasft, for example.
2. There is no substiteute for the massive
Paulys-Wissowa-Kroll-Mittelah,us-Zziegler edited Realencyzclopaedie der
klassischen Altertumswissenschaft [100+ volumes], soon to be updated
with a new 10 volume edition.
3. Many excellent mongraphs never get translated inteo English. I just
reviewed Peter Pilhofer, PHILIPPI. Band I: DIE ERSTE CHRISTLICHE
GEMEINDE EUROPAS (Tuebingen: Mohr, 1995) for the Journal of
Religion. No one can write in Philippians in the future unless
they have worked throuigh this book. And that is only one of many.
4. There are great commentaries, up-to-date, that never get translated,
e.g. in the Handbuch zum Neuen Testament, Meyer, EKK (3 volumes on
Romans, 3 on 1 Corintehians), Neues Testament Deutsch, Theologiscdher
Handkommentar, etc.
5. Two of the premiere journals in NT studies are the
Zeitschrift fuer die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft
and Biblische Zeitschrift. One simply must read them.
And, if one is interested in the world of the NT, many of the best
editions of ancient authhors and commentaries on them are in German,
e.g. Eduard Norden, DIE ANTIKE KUNSTPROSA and AGNOSTOS THEOS. I am sure
that others on this list will be able to give multiple titles of this
sort. I would extimate that 35 to 40% of my professional library is in
German.
I hope this clarifies my phrase "minimal German" minimally.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Edgar Krentz
Acting Dean, Fall Quarter 1998
Professor of New Testament Emeritus
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
1100 E. 55th Street
Chicago, IL 60615 USA
773-256-0752
e-mail:FFFF,0000,0000 ekrentz@lstc.edu
(Office)
FFFF,0000,0000emkrentz@mcs.com
(Home)
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