Zurich Open Repository and Archive University of Zurich Main Library Strickhofstrasse 39 CH-8057 Zurich www.zora.uzh.ch Year: 1962 The recent debate on the “New Quest” Robinson, James M DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jaarel/xxx.3.198 Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich ZORA URL: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-154109 Journal Article Published Version Originally published at: Robinson, James M (1962). The recent debate on the “New Quest”. Journal of the American Academy of Religion, XXX(3):198-208. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jaarel/xxx.3.198 Part One of a Symposium on the "New Quest of the Historical Jesus" The Recent Debate on the "New Quest JAMES M. ROBINSON HAVE been asked to analyze the de- purpose of calling forth an American discus- velopment of the new quest of the his- sion of a new trend in German theology at I torical Jesus since 1959, to bring up to a time when the German discussion was still date the presentation in my book, A New in a formative stage, and with the result that Quest of the Historical Jesus.1 Since at the the discussion could become a two-way af- time of the second impression of that book fair. The very fact that the National Associ- in 1961 it was not possible even to include ation of Biblical Instructors is presenting a the additional material found in the German symposium on this topic in 1961, only seven edition of I960,2 such an up-dating of the years after the publication of Ernst Kase- material is highly necessary. The quantity mann's programmatic essay,8 whereas the of literature which has appeared since 1959 NABI symposium on demythologizing in exceeds considerably what had appeared 1957 came sixteen years after Rudolf Bult- prior to that date. And, although much of mann's proposal of 1941, is symptomatic of this added material has been repetitious and the increasing synchronization of the two the- has hardly advanced the debate, some sig- ological traditions which should be an attain- nificant developments have taken place. able objective in our day.4 A series of sym- They have their focus in the emergence of posia to be published by Harper & Brothers an opposition which had hardly become vis- under the title. New Frontiers in Theology: ible by 1959. Discussions Among German and American TJieologians, is to appear beginning in 1963 I with volumes entitled The Later Heidegger and Theology and The New Hermeneutics.6 In spite of various inadequacies in my We may express the hope that future NABI publication of 1959, it has served its major symposia will help this series achieve its purpose. JAMES M. ROBINSON is Professor of The- The extent to which the new quest of the ology and New Testament at the Southern Cal- historical Jesus has become a two-way con- ifornia School of Theology at Claremont He re- ceived the D.Theol. summa cum laude from the versation is indicated by the fact that Rudolf University of Basel, under Karl Barth. He has also Bultmann's reply to his students before the 6 studied under Rudolf Bultmann, Oscar Cullmann, Heidelberg Academy of Sciences not only Walter Eichrodt, and Emil Brunner. Dr. Robinson included critiques of my book and of his is serving this Summer as Guest Professor at the German students, but also was able to ap- University of Zurich. He is author of A New peal for support to letters from Edwin M. Quest of the Historical Jesus, now appearing in German and French editions, and is engaged as Good of Stanford University and Van A. co-editor of New Frontiers in Theology: Discus- Harvey of Southern Methodist University, sions Among German and American Theologians and to a review by R. H. Fuller of Seabury- and of Theologische Forschung: Wissenschajtlicht Western Theological Seminary. Accord- Beitrage sur kirchlich-evangclischen Lehre. The ingly, one of the significant new aspects of present contribution is based on a paper delivered the discussion with which we can appropri- at the National Meeting of the National Associa- tion of Biblical Instructors held at Concordia Sem- ately begin is the American participation inary, St. Louis, Missouri, December 29-30, 1961. and the particular role it plays. 198 THE RECENT DEBATE ON THE "NEW QUEST" 199 Since the original quest of the historical epic of salvation—the technical term is Jesus never really ended in America, we Heilsgeschichte—which comprise the one sense very acutely that the basic Problematik and only important chapter of all cosmic his- of the new quest is whether it can be any- tory."9 By thus presenting Form-criticism thing other than a revival of the old quest as maintaining the obviously absurd position with all its weaknesses, i.e., whether it can that we can know nothing of Jesus, the orig- be genuinely post-Bultmannian in retaining inal questers seek to eliminate their critics Bultmann's valid criticisms of the old quest. and to continue their quest as if nothing had To be sure, the very persistence of the orig- happened. It is no surprise that in such a inal quest at the grass roots means that the situation a young and vigorous Bultmannian new one can count on a grass-roots recep- systematician, Schubert M. Ogden, should tivity. Indeed, one may expect a blurring of take a first look at the new quest and com- the distinction between the original quest plain, "But it still remains a fair question and the new one—a setback I sought to whether the extent of the alleged 'newness' avoid by devoting the first half of my book may not depend entirely too much upon see- to a presentation of Bultmann's valid argu- ing it against the background of a highly ment that the original quest was historically over-simplified and even false impression of impossible and theologically illegitimate. Of Bultmann's own position."10 When Ogden course, it is also possible that one will then comments in a footnote that "this ques- change with the changing times. Thus, Er- tion is even raised, though no doubt unin- nest Cadman Colwell, speaking before this tentionally, by Robinson himself," I would Association in 1959 on prospects for New merely respond that I quite intentionally Testament scholarship during the next fifty questioned the caricature of Bultmann's po- years, was able to refer to the new quest as sition and even went to the trouble of col- typical of the research of the future, not lecting a long footnote of quotations from simply because he as a student of Shirley Bultmann to disprove the caricature. How- Jackson Case was convinced that Christian- ever, in spite of all that we can do, the cari- ity must build upon the historical Jesus, but cature persists as a foil for the continuing also because he believed that the socio-his- quest of the "compelling personality" and torical method of Case must be replaced or "unflinching bravery" of Jesus.11 at least supplemented by the new methods It is as just one more instance of this he had found exemplified in Powicke and well-known tradition that the talk of a new Bloch and which are usually associated with quest of the historical Jesus strikes many the names of Dilthey and Collingwood.7 ears. The younger generation, for whom The Problematik involved in this un- that well-known tradition is anathema, are broken continuity with the original quest, therefore tempted to react to the new quest which is for better or worse the American by rejecting it out of hand. Paul W. Meyer Sits im Leben of the new quest, becomes puts the matter bluntly: "In form, this [new quite visible in a very recent American life quest] parallels perfectly the older liberal of Jesus, Morton Scott Enslin's The Prophet understanding of faith as the reproduction, jrom Nazareth.8 In this volume, Form-criti- in my religious experience, of Jesus' feeling cism and its kerygmatic theology are brushed of Sonship in relation to God—and it is like aside with the standard caricature: "In the other totally dependent on historical fa- place of the historical Jesus, whom they as- miliarity with Jesus' person. We seem to sume it is impossible to discover, and thus have here a complete capitulation to the for whom further search is an unwarranted heirs of Schweitzer."12 And, significantly waste of time, they set the figure of the enough, Meyer alludes to Walter Bell Den- Eternal Christ and his part in the all-central ny's The Career and Significance of Jesus 200 JAMES M. ROBINSON (1934) as "an extreme example"—as if to that 'the Word became flesh and dwelt say, bad company corrupts good manners. among us.' "w But anyone who expects such Hence, if any advocate of the new quest is a statement as this last from a historian sim- to make his point in the present situation, ply does not understand the limits set on the he must go to great pains to argue that the historian's trade. And, indeed, Macquarrie's new quest does not "parallel perfectly" the contention is more reminiscent of the posi- old. The new quest does not attempt to dis- tivistic program of Ethelbert Stauffer, cover how Jesus felt, for the records tell us roundly rejected by all involved in the new not how he felt but what his significance quest, than of the new quest itself. To be was. Jesus' understanding of existence was sure, Macquarrie states his "minimal core" not his stream of consciousness, but the un- in language much like that of the new quest: derstanding of existence which emerged in "Simply that there was someone who once history from his words and deeds.