1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Scholten, Jan Hendrik

SCHOLTEN, JAN HENDRIK (1811–1885), Dutch Protestant theologian, was born at Vleuter near Utrecht on the 17th of August 1811. After studying at Utrecht University, he was appointed professor of theology 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, A. 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. 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 (2 vols., 1848–1850, 4th ed. 1861–1862). He then gave special attention to the New Testament, and wrote A Critical Study of the Gospel of John (1864, in German 1867). He died on the 10th of April 1885.

Scholten’s other works include: Historical and Critical Introduction to the New Testament (1853–1856); The Oldest Witnesses to the Writings of the New Testament (1866); The Oldest Gospel (1868); and The Pauline Gospel (1870). An account of his theological development is given in Afscheidsrede bij het Neerleggen van het Hoogleeraarsambt (1881), and in the biography written by A. Kuenen, Levensbericht van J. Henricus Scholten (1885).