Who Was Eta Linnemann?

I'm glad you (didn't) ask. 

Eta Linnemann was a German theologian who studied under Rudolf Bultmann.  By her own testimony she studied under the foremost names in historical critical theology and became a historical critical theologian herself.  She took a position at a German university and began to teach and all of this time she was not a Christian.

Here is her warning about the education she received:

Many students, even those with believing parents, have drowned in atheistic teaching from university professors and have grown to despise the faith of their parents. If you are a student, ask the Lord for guidance and never feel too secure. It is the Lord who can keep you, not your own wisdom. Do not think, “Oh yes, I have got everything, I have been in Sunday School and church all my life; nothing can happen to me.” If you are in that state you will fall. The devil is not sleeping; he will try anything to destroy you. You must be aware and know that God’s word is better than all the wisdom of the world. Psalm 19 tells us God’s word is more precious than silver and gold. It is more precious than any worldly wisdom in any discipline.

And this:

We were taught that we must study as if there were no God. Although it can happen that when you study the Bible like that, you might experience something of him, in general, you have not the slightest chance of finding God this way.

She comments about historical-critical professors:

 They are on the wrong track. Not only do they not reach their goal, but they also lead many people astray with them. I have been such a theologian, but the Lord has forgiven me.

They say that God is so full of love that he just loves us and forgives our sins. But it is not the job of God to arbitrarily forgive our sins. As holy God, he must take sin very seriously and cannot forgive us just like that! He had to send his beloved Son to carry our sin to the cross and die for our salvation. That is the real love of God that these theologians miss. 

She goes into detail about how she was saved while a theologian at a major university in Germany! (Thanks to much prayer from her students).

She concludes:

So I found out you can trust your Bible. You cannot trust historical critical theology or higher criticism. It is not trustworthy. I praise God for bringing me out of it, and pray that he will use me to bring others from criticism to Christ.

I love and have been profoundly influenced by Professor Eta Linnemann, who is now with her Saviour.  You can read the whole thing here.