Johann Albrecht Bengel: Briefwechsel

The Wrttemberg theologian Johann Albrecht Bengel (16871752) had a lasting influence on church and theological history through his textually critical work on the Greek New Testament and interpretations that combine scholarly work with edifying comments. This also includes Bengel's failed attempt to calculate the events of salvation history. The multi-volume edition of his more than 3,100 pieces of correspondence offers the letters as full text or detailed synopsis. Foreign language letters will be translated. The explanatory apparatus provides information on the named persons, benefits in kind and book titles. Indexes of Bible passages, people and places are included with each volume. The early correspondence (Vol. 1, 1707-1722) and the correspondence from the middle of the Denkendorf years (Vol. 2, 1723-1731) are followed in Volume 3 by the letters from Bengel's later time in Denkendorf (1732-1741). The monastery preceptor takes shape as a teacher and pastor. As a textual critic and exegete, he can reap the fruits of long preliminary work. We learn largely unknown things about how his eschatological calculations came about and the shared echo of his contemporaries.