Gerard Bolland

Who was Gerard Bolland?

Gerardus Johannes Petrus Josephus Bolland, also known as G.J.P.J. Bolland, was a Dutch autodidact, linguist, philosopher, biblical scholar, and lecturer. An excellent orator, he gave extremely well attended public lectures in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Delft, Groningen, Nijmegen and Belgium.

He became an expert in German idealism, being especially interested in the works of Eduard von Hartmann and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. He began researching the formation of Christianity in 1891, and was extremely literate in religious history. He was associated with the Dutch radical school.

He effected a revival in Hegelianism in the Netherlands around 1900 by arranging a new edition of Hegel’s works, and stimulating a renewal of interest in philosophy in the Netherlands. He had a quirky style in his use of the Dutch language causing linguist J.A. Dèr Mouw, among others, to criticise him sharply.