I. Oshausen-Immortality of Soul Theory Unknown to Scripture

Prof. HERMANN OLSHAUSEN (1796-1839), noted German Protestant exegete, was trained at Berlin. He became professor of theology at Königsberg (1821-1834), then at Erlangen (1834-1839). His main interest was New Testament exegesis, and between 1830 and 1840 he wrote his famous fourvolume commentary on the New Testament. Olshausen was one of the most eminent nineteenth-century writers on the laws of Biblical interpretation. He especially criticized the superficial use of the word life, maintaining that life is “the normal union of the forces which maintain the existence of the living being,” while “death is the abnormal dislocation of those same forces.” ^{11) Opuscula theologica, Vol. VIII, under “Zoe” in the New Testament.}CFF2 586.2

1. INNATE IMMORTALITY UTTERLY FOREIGN TO BIBLE

Olshausen definitely inclined to the Conditionalist view, for he said: “The Bible knows neither the expression ‘the immortality of the soul’ nor the modern doctrine of immortality.” ^{22) Olshausen Commentary on Luke 16 24-26 (tr. from the German).}CFF2 586.3

“‘The fact should be borne in mind that the apostle does not admit the possibility of the soul apart from a bodily organism. The doctrine of the immortality of the soul is totally foreign to the teaching of the Bible; neither the name nor the thing can be found there. Corporal limits have been assigned to all created spirits.’” ^{33) Ibid., on 1 Corinthians 15 19, 20 (tr. by Petavel).}CFF2 587.1

Commenting on the early Ante-Nicene church writers, Justin Martyr, Tatian, and Theophilus of Antioch, he declares that they were all Conditionalists, all three maintaining the proposition, “of ill repute in our days,” that “the soul is naturally mortal.” Thus also did Irenaeus, he added, and Arnobius a century later.CFF2 587.2