oa [Oerchristendom en historische methode. De actualiteit van Franz Overbecks probleemstelling, On Franz Overbeck's view of ‘Urchristentum’]

In current research, there is no clear definition of the notion of ‘Urchristentum’ (‘primitive Christianity’); its historical and theological-normative connotations are often confused. According to Franz Overbeck, ‘Urchristentum’ should be defined as the period in which the Christian believers did not distinguish between oral and literary Christian tradition. With Irenaeus such a distinction is given, as he is the first author known to quote Christian scripture as Scripture. Some methodological implications emerging from Overbeck’s definition are considered in order to set out an appropriate academic approach to ‘Urchristentum’.