Alexander Balmain Bruce
Encyclopedia
Alexander Balmain Bruce was a Scottish
churchman and theologian
. He was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland
.
He was born at Aberargie near Perth, Scotland
.
His father suffered for his adherence to the Free Church at the Disruption of 1843
, and moved to Edinburgh
, where Alexander was educated, showing exceptional ability from the first. His early religious doubts, awakened especially by David Strauss
's Life of Jesus, made him throughout life sympathetic with those who underwent a similar stress. After serving as assistant first at Ancrum
, then at Lochwinnoch
, he was called to Cardross in Dumbartonshire
(now Dunbartonshire
) in 1859, and to Broughty Ferry
in 1868. There he published his first notable exegetical
work, the Training of the Twelve.
In 1874 he delivered his Cunningham Lectures, afterwards published as The Humiliation of Christ, and in the following year was appointed to the chair of Apologetics
and New Testament
exegesis
at the Free Church College, Glasgow
, a post he held for twenty-four years. He was one of the first British New Testament scholars whose work was received favourably in Germany
. The character and work of Christ
were, he held, the ultimate proof and the best defence of Christianity
; and his tendency was to concentrate attention somewhat narrowly on the historic Jesus.
In The Kingdom of God (1889), which first encountered serious hostile criticism in his own communion
, he accounted for some of the differences between the first and third evangelists on the principle of accommodation--maintaining that Saint Luke had altered both the text and the spirit of his sources to suit the needs of those for whom he wrote. It was held that these admissions were not consistent with the views of inspiration professed by the Free Church of Scotland
. When the case was tried, the assembly held that the charge of heresy
was based on a misunderstanding, but that by want of due care in his mode of statement he had given some ground for the painful impressions which had existed.
Bruce rendered great service to his own communion in connection with its service of praise. He was convener of the committee which issued the Free Church hymn book, and he threw into this work the same energy and catholicity of mind which marked the rest of his activities. He was buried at Broughty Ferry. His chief works, beside the above, are:
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
churchman and theologian
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. He was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
.
He was born at Aberargie near Perth, Scotland
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
.
His father suffered for his adherence to the Free Church at the Disruption of 1843
Disruption of 1843
The Disruption of 1843 was a schism within the established Church of Scotland, in which 450 ministers of the Church broke away, over the issue of the Church's relationship with the State, to form the Free Church of Scotland...
, and moved to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, where Alexander was educated, showing exceptional ability from the first. His early religious doubts, awakened especially by David Strauss
David Strauss
David Friedrich Strauss was a German theologian and writer. He scandalized Christian Europe with his portrayal of the "historical Jesus," whose divine nature he denied...
's Life of Jesus, made him throughout life sympathetic with those who underwent a similar stress. After serving as assistant first at Ancrum
Ancrum
Ancrum is a village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, north of Jedburgh and south of St Boswells....
, then at Lochwinnoch
Lochwinnoch
Lochwinnoch is a village in the council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Lying on the banks of Castle Semple Loch and the River Calder, Lochwinnoch is chiefly a residential dormitory village serving nearby urban centres such as Glasgow and Paisley...
, he was called to Cardross in Dumbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
(now Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
) in 1859, and to Broughty Ferry
Broughty Ferry
Broughty Ferry is a suburb on the eastern side of the City of Dundee, on the shore of the Firth of Tay in eastern Scotland...
in 1868. There he published his first notable exegetical
Exegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
work, the Training of the Twelve.
In 1874 he delivered his Cunningham Lectures, afterwards published as The Humiliation of Christ, and in the following year was appointed to the chair of Apologetics
Apologetics
Apologetics is the discipline of defending a position through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers Apologetics (from Greek ἀπολογία, "speaking in defense") is the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers...
and New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
exegesis
Exegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
at the Free Church College, Glasgow
Trinity College, Glasgow
Trinity College, Glasgow, Scotland, is the Church of Scotland's College at the University of Glasgow. It provides special supervision of candidates for the ministry through a Principal and a College Council...
, a post he held for twenty-four years. He was one of the first British New Testament scholars whose work was received favourably in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The character and work of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
were, he held, the ultimate proof and the best defence of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
; and his tendency was to concentrate attention somewhat narrowly on the historic Jesus.
In The Kingdom of God (1889), which first encountered serious hostile criticism in his own communion
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
, he accounted for some of the differences between the first and third evangelists on the principle of accommodation--maintaining that Saint Luke had altered both the text and the spirit of his sources to suit the needs of those for whom he wrote. It was held that these admissions were not consistent with the views of inspiration professed by the Free Church of Scotland
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
. When the case was tried, the assembly held that the charge of heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
was based on a misunderstanding, but that by want of due care in his mode of statement he had given some ground for the painful impressions which had existed.
Bruce rendered great service to his own communion in connection with its service of praise. He was convener of the committee which issued the Free Church hymn book, and he threw into this work the same energy and catholicity of mind which marked the rest of his activities. He was buried at Broughty Ferry. His chief works, beside the above, are:
- The Chief End of Revelation (Lond., 1881)
- The Parabolic Teaching of Christ (Lond., 1882)
- F.C. BaurFerdinand Christian BaurFerdinand Christian Baur was a German theologian and leader of the Tübingen school of theology...
and his Theory of the Origin of Christianity and of the New Testament Writings in Present Day Tracts (Lond., 1885) - Apologetics, or Christianity Defensively Stated (Edin., 1892)
- St Paul's Conception of Christianity (Lond., 1894)
- Expos: Gk. Test. (the Synoptic GospelsSynoptic GospelsThe gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels because they include many of the same stories, often in the same sequence, and sometimes exactly the same wording. This degree of parallelism in content, narrative arrangement, language, and sentence structures can only be...
, Lond., 1897) - With Open Face (Lond., 1896)
- The Epistle to the Hebrews (Edin., 1899)
- The Providential Order of the World, and the Moral Order of the World in Ancient and Modern Thought (Gifford Lectures, 1896-1897; Lond., 1897, 1899).