Solomon Schechter's Higher Criticism-Higher Antisemitism and Wellhausen's Prolegomena: A Historical Examination

Lieve M. Teugels

doi:10.5117/NTT2025.3.003.TEUG

Solomon Schechter's Higher Criticism-Higher Antisemitism and Wellhausen's Prolegomena: A Historical Examination

Lieve M. Teugels

Old Testament / Judaism

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Abstract

In 1903, the famous Jewish scholar Solomon Schechter articulated his
belief that Higher Bible Criticism was not merely a scholarly endeavor
but a tool that could fuel antisemitism. Higher Criticism as a scientific
method for the study of the Hebrew Bible had originated in Germany in
the nineteenth century and was mostly practiced by Protestant scholars.
The name most associated with Higher Criticism is Julius Wellhausen
whose work Prolegomena to the History of Israel (1883) is indeed laced with
supersessionist and openly anti-Jewish remarks. Jewish scholars of the
so-called Wissenschaft des Judentums objected to Higher Criticism as they
felt that the Christians had “stolen the Bible” from the Jews. Yet there were
also Jewish scholars of that day who were attracted to some of Wellhausen’s
ideas, such as his predilection for the prophetic voice in the Bible.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	279-299
Number of pages	20
Journal	NTT Journal for Theology and the Study of Religion
Volume	79
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5117/NTT2025.3.003.TEUG
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2025
Event	Van theologische Jood naar Joodse Theologie: Over het belang van de Joodse Studies aan een Protestantse Theologische Universiteit - Pieterskerk, Utrecht, Netherlands Duration: 3 Jun 2025 → 3 Jun 2025

Keywords

Higher Criticism
Antisemitism
Biblical Studies
Protestant
Jewish

Access to Document

10.5117/NTT2025.3.003.TEUGLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

2025_Schechter-Wellhausen_NTT2025.3.003.TEUGFinal published version, 220 KBLicence: Taverne

1 Finished

Christian antisemitic images and ideas and their biblical sources
Teugels, L. (PI)
1/03/24 → 31/12/24
Project: Research

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Cite this

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title = "Solomon Schechter's Higher Criticism-Higher Antisemitism and Wellhausen's Prolegomena: A Historical Examination",

abstract = "In 1903, the famous Jewish scholar Solomon Schechter articulated his belief that Higher Bible Criticism was not merely a scholarly endeavor but a tool that could fuel antisemitism. Higher Criticism as a scientific method for the study of the Hebrew Bible had originated in Germany in the nineteenth century and was mostly practiced by Protestant scholars. The name most associated with Higher Criticism is Julius Wellhausen whose work Prolegomena to the History of Israel (1883) is indeed laced with supersessionist and openly anti-Jewish remarks. Jewish scholars of the so-called Wissenschaft des Judentums objected to Higher Criticism as they felt that the Christians had {\textquotedblleft}stolen the Bible{\textquotedblright} from the Jews. Yet there were also Jewish scholars of that day who were attracted to some of Wellhausen{\textquoteright}s ideas, such as his predilection for the prophetic voice in the Bible.",

keywords = "Higher Criticism, Antisemitism, Biblical Studies, Protestant, Jewish",

author = "Teugels, \{Lieve M.\}",

year = "2025",

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doi = "10.5117/NTT2025.3.003.TEUG",

language = "English",

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pages = "279--299",

journal = "NTT Journal for Theology and the Study of Religion",

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publisher = "Amsterdam University Press",

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T1 - Solomon Schechter's Higher Criticism-Higher Antisemitism and Wellhausen's Prolegomena

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AU - Teugels, Lieve M.

PY - 2025/8/1

Y1 - 2025/8/1

N2 - In 1903, the famous Jewish scholar Solomon Schechter articulated his belief that Higher Bible Criticism was not merely a scholarly endeavor but a tool that could fuel antisemitism. Higher Criticism as a scientific method for the study of the Hebrew Bible had originated in Germany in the nineteenth century and was mostly practiced by Protestant scholars. The name most associated with Higher Criticism is Julius Wellhausen whose work Prolegomena to the History of Israel (1883) is indeed laced with supersessionist and openly anti-Jewish remarks. Jewish scholars of the so-called Wissenschaft des Judentums objected to Higher Criticism as they felt that the Christians had “stolen the Bible” from the Jews. Yet there were also Jewish scholars of that day who were attracted to some of Wellhausen’s ideas, such as his predilection for the prophetic voice in the Bible.

AB - In 1903, the famous Jewish scholar Solomon Schechter articulated his belief that Higher Bible Criticism was not merely a scholarly endeavor but a tool that could fuel antisemitism. Higher Criticism as a scientific method for the study of the Hebrew Bible had originated in Germany in the nineteenth century and was mostly practiced by Protestant scholars. The name most associated with Higher Criticism is Julius Wellhausen whose work Prolegomena to the History of Israel (1883) is indeed laced with supersessionist and openly anti-Jewish remarks. Jewish scholars of the so-called Wissenschaft des Judentums objected to Higher Criticism as they felt that the Christians had “stolen the Bible” from the Jews. Yet there were also Jewish scholars of that day who were attracted to some of Wellhausen’s ideas, such as his predilection for the prophetic voice in the Bible.

KW - Higher Criticism

KW - Antisemitism

KW - Biblical Studies

KW - Protestant

KW - Jewish

U2 - 10.5117/NTT2025.3.003.TEUG

DO - 10.5117/NTT2025.3.003.TEUG

M3 - Article

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VL - 79

SP - 279

EP - 299

JO - NTT Journal for Theology and the Study of Religion

JF - NTT Journal for Theology and the Study of Religion

IS - 3

Y2 - 3 June 2025 through 3 June 2025

ER -

Solomon Schechter's Higher Criticism-Higher Antisemitism and Wellhausen's Prolegomena: A Historical Examination

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Projects

Christian antisemitic images and ideas and their biblical sources

Cite this