Jan Hendrik Scholten

Who was Jan Hendrik Scholten?

Jan Hendrik Scholten, Dutch Protestant theologian, was born at Vleuten near Utrecht.

After studying at Utrecht University, he was appointed professor of theology in 1840 at Franeker. From Franeker in 1843 he went to Leiden as professor extraordinarius, and in 1845 was promoted to the rank of ordinarius. Through Scholten, Abraham Kuenen became interested in theology; Scholten was not then the radical theologian he became later. The two scholars in course of time created a movement resembling that of the Tübingen School in Germany. From his theology there "began to rise a different type of spirit, the spirit of absolute antisupernaturalism of the German idealistic kind."

Pursuing first the study of dogmatic theology and the philosophy of religion, Scholten published a work on the Principles of the Theology of the Reformed Church. He then gave special attention to the New Testament, and wrote A Critical Study of the Gospel of John.

Scholten's other works include:

Historical and Critical Introduction to the New Testament

The Oldest Witnesses to the Writings of the New Testament