Lewe en werk van Gerhard Ebeling (06 Julie 1912–30 September 2001) : ʼn leksikografiese bydrae tot Reformasie 500

Abstract

Focusing on Ebeling’s own account of his ‘theological path’, autobiographical notes in his publications and a gold mine of information in the biography of Albrecht Beutel on Ebeling published in 2012 the article describes important events with theological significance in life of Gerhard Ebeling. Ebeling is often portrayed in theological literature as a representative of the so-called New Hermeneutic. For many people the name Ebeling is synonymous with hermeneutics, as if his only contribution to theology was the development of ‘a new hermeneutical theory’. This is a misconception. The article introduces the reader to another and more important point of view to value the life and work of Ebeling – his interest in the Reformer Martin Luther, that not only had profound influence on Ebeling’s own theological thinking, but also resulted in many ground breakingpublications on Luther. The article celebrates Ebeling as one of the most important Luther scholars of all times.