Acquisitions – Pitts Theology Library

Pitts acquires a large collection of biblical commentaries as ebooks

March 18, 2024

7:27 am

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Acquisitions, Alumni Resources, Databases, New Acquisitions

Pitts Theology Library has just purchased online access to a collection of dozens of biblical commentaries from Eerdmans. This acquisition brings valuable resources that have long been appreciated in the library’s print collection to an online audience.

The collection includes ebooks curated for New Testament and Old Testament research, which range from standby foundational works to recently-published scholarship in these areas.

The New Testament collection features the Pillar New Testament Commentary and the Two Horizons New Testament Commentary, while the Old Testament collection includes the International Theological Commentary and Illuminations Commentary series. The New International Commentary, Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible, Eerdmans Critical Commentary, and the Two Horizons Commentary contain works on both the New and Old Testaments.

In addition to providing access for current Emory students, Pitts has also added these resources to Emory’s collection of research databases for alumni, meaning that all Emory alumni can access them as well. Alumni who haven’t used alumni research databases yet should contact the Emory Alumni Association for access. Current Emory students should make sure to join the Alumni Association before graduating for the easiest way to maintain access to these library resources after they graduate.

This new content is located on the Theology and Religion Online (TARO) platform, which is also the home of the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary and Commentaries. Current Emory students, faculty, and staff can access the full TARO collection directly here, or they can search for individual titles in the library catalog.

When using these resources, don’t be afraid to think beyond exegesis papers! These commentaries include material intended for work in systematic theology, biblical archaeology, and preaching, as well as historical and textual criticism. To help you get the most out of them, our reference librarians are available for individual consultations. Schedule a time to meet with Dee Roberts or Brady Beard for a 30-minute session tailored to your specific research project.

By Caitlin Soma, Acquisitions & Periodicals Coordinator

Pitts acquires an early 16th Century passional

January 18, 2024

6:01 am

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Acquisitions, Books

Acquisitions, books, Rare Books

A popular genre of devotional books in the late Middle Ages and during the Renaissance were passionals, illustrated books about the suffering and death of Christian martyrs, in particular about the passion and death of Jesus Christ.

The text accompanying the images in these books was typically of secondary importance to the images, which were intended to inspire meditation and prayer. A recent acquisition by Pitts is a 1508 passional printed in Strasbourg, Passio domini nostri Jesu Christi (1508 PASS). The Latin text, likely translated from a German original, is a compilation drawn from the four Gospels and edited by the humanist scholar Matthias Ringman (1481-1510) and the popular preacher Johann Geiler von Kaysersberg (1445-1510). The 25 full page woodcut illustrations are early works by the Swiss artist and goldsmith Urs Graf (1485-1528), representing Graf’s first book illustrations signed by him with his characteristic monogram VS. While Urs Graf does not exhibit the detailed realism often found in the art of his contemporaries Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) and Lucas Cranach (1472-1553), whose works Graf also reproduced in copies, the characterization of his subjects has a uniquely compelling quality, in particular their often unusual facial expressions.

The particular copy of this work acquired recently by Pitts has significance for the library. The book has the previous ownership bookplate of the Swiss church historian Ernest Strœhlin (1844-1907). The bookplate has a depiction of John Calvin preaching and the motto “Mente Libera” (“with a free mind”). Stroehlin was an avid book collector, and many of his books were bound beautifully in fine morocco leather with gilt tooling on the inside edge, with marbled paste-downs and endpapers. These bindings were the work of noted Swiss binder Hans Asper (1855-1911). Stroehlin’s library was auctioned off in 1912, and Pitts has been making a concerted effort to collect these works from his library. The library now holds at least 8 of these Stroehlin/Asper books, several of which were featured in the library’s exhibition “More Precious than Gold”. You can learn more about these bindings in a blog post from last year, and we invite you to make an appointment in our Special Collections to come and see this new acquisition.

By Armin Siedlecki, Head of Cataloging and Rare Book Cataloger

Pitts Acquires Another Item from the Library of Gaspard Ernest Stroehlin

January 18, 2023

4:37 pm

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Acquisitions, Books, Research

Acquisitions, Kessler Collection

by Armin Siedlecki

Pitts Theology Library recently added to its Richard C. Kessler Reformation Collection a short tract in the form of a dialogue (a common genre in the 16^th century) in which a Catholic monk debates with a Lutheran baker about the usefulness of fasting. The baker wins the argument by arguing that one should not abstain from but enjoy God’s gifts (in proper moderation). The tract, which only has eight leaves, was written by Hans Staygmayer, himself a baker by trade in the Swabian city of Reutlingen. A remarkable detail of this particular copy of the work is the bookplate on its front inside cover. Unlike most bookplates, it does not bear the name of the book’s owner, but instead depicts John Calvin preaching with Geneva’s St. Peter’s Cathedral in the background. A banner below Calvin has the motto Mente Libera (with a free mind/heart). Below it is the name Champel referring to one of the historical districts of Geneva. Almost hidden on the right side of the bookplate are the initials GES for Gaspard Ernest Stroehlin (1844-1907), a Swiss pastor a church historian at the University of Geneva. Stroehlin was an avid book collector, especially of theological source materials from the 16^th, 17^th, and 18^th centuries. When his library was sold in 1912, the auction catalog was issued in three volumes. His books were usually bound by the Swiss bookbinder Hans Asper (1855–1911), often with fine morocco leather, gilded ornamentation and beautifully marbled endpapers, giving them a characteristic look. Prior to this acquisition, the Kessler Collection held six other works from the library of Ernest Stroehlin.

Left: A Stroehlin bookplate and marbled endpapers from Vo[n] der Haubt Sum[m]a Gottes Gebots, darzů vom Miszbrauch vnd rechtem Brauch des Gesetz (1526 LUTH CC). Right: Cover of Ain Schoner Dialogus (1524).

Pitts Reveals 4,000th Addition to Kessler Collection

March 11, 2022

3:56 pm

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Acquisitions

Acquisitions, Fundraising, Martin Luther, Rare Books, Richard C. Kessler Collection

Over the past few weeks, speculation has been abound regarding the identity of Pitts 4,000^thaddition to the Richard C. Kessler Collection, following the overwhelming success of Kessler in 4K fundraising campaign. Pitts is thrilled to reveal that the wait is over; the 4,000^th item has arrived from a partner in Germany, and it is spectacular! Please watch this video to learn about an unbelievably rare first edition that we are now privileged to hold and share with the world. As you watch, please know that it is because of the generous support of our donors that we are able not only to acquire this important book, but to also digitize it, to share it with students around the world, and to foster research about church reform.

This landmark acquisition further cements the Richard C. Kessler Reformation Collection’s reputation as North America’s premier collection of printed books and manuscripts documenting the religious and cultural reforms in Europe in the 16^th century. Pitts commits to continuing our work not only to grow the size of the collection beyond 4,000, but, more importantly, to grow its impact through research and teaching.

Kessler in 4K: Building a Collection of Reformation History

October 13, 2021

12:19 pm

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Acquisitions, Books

Acquisitions, Kessler in 4K, Martin Luther, Reformation, Richard C. Kessler Collection

Are you curious about what a donation to the Kessler in 4K campaign might support? Each year the Richard C. Kessler Collection adds dozens of rare and unique items to Pitts’ rare book and archival holdings, but we are excited to make the 4,000th one of our most significant additions in recent years!

As an example of the amazing items in the collection, consider the Kessler Collection’s copy of the first printed collection of the works of Martin Luther (1483-1546), printed by Johann Froben in Basel in 1518. This is important work documenting the early debates of the Reformation, and the Kessler Collection copy has been owned and inscribed by important figures throughout the centuries, including one of Luther’s own friends, Johannes Lang (c. 1487-1548). See the anatomy of this annotated title page in the catalog from a recent Kessler exhibition, More Precious than Gold, curated by Dr. Armin Siedlecki.

Like what you see? Donate to the Kessler in 4K campaign to support Pitts in continuing its acquisition and preservation of pieces of history!