Oh, and Schmithals tells of how as a student he accidentally walked into one of Bultmann's lectures, and stayed. He became a signed up student for Bultmann's courses, took part in seminars and wrote his thesis supervised by Bultmann. The thesis was on Gnosticism in Corinth, and though not agreeing with all the details, Bultmann awarded a magna cum laude and acknowledged that Schmithal's had changed his mind on key points.
They became friends and colleagues, and on several occasions following Bultmann's death, Schmithals, the accidental student of all those years ago, spoke warmly of his teacher. In 2002 the city Council of Oldenburg commissioned a bust of Bultmann to be placed in the local school which Bultmann attended in his youth.
Walter Schmithals delivered the address, "Faith and Understanding. Rudolf Bultmann and the World of Modern Life."
Such are the fine threads of biography and human friendships, of history and accidentally walking through a door that opens life up in a new direction. And I'm delighted to have a book that links these two awesome scholars.
By the way, I seldom use the word awesome. So when I do, I mean it in the most precise semantic sense – I'm in awe of such prodigious achievements in scholarship, and humbled by the humility of Bultmann.
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