What is Ad Fontes?
The Latin phrase, Ad Fontes (to the fountains/sources) was brought into common parlance by Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam. While the phrase had long before appeared in the Latin Vulgate’s translation of Psalm 42 it was Erasmus who first applied it to the study of the humanities and in particular to the study of classical languages (and texts). Ad Fontes was and still is the battle cry against ignorance and indifference. It was this phrase that fueled the passions and creativity of the Renaissance. Although Erasmus was a Catholic scholar his ‘Ad Fontes’ movement was so universal in appeal that it was also adopted by many of the Protestant Reformers and became their battle cry as well. This also in part became the model for Liberal Arts education and Classical education of the Western world.
Inspite of the fact that Ad Fontes as used by Eramus originally had a very broad meaning that encompassed Ancient Greek and Latin sources as well as the Church fathers here on this blog Ad Fontes means something different.
What Does Ad fontes mean here on this blog?
What does this Author mean by Ad Fontes? Here on this blog and by this Author Ad Fontes means Biblical philology and exegesis and maybe even textual criticism for good measure. What then are the sources? The sources as refered to in the blog’s title Ad Fontes are the תַּנַ״ךְ (Tanaḵ) or the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible and a collection of first and second century documents commonly called Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη (Hē Kainḕ Diathḗkē) or the New Testament. The aforementioned sources are the object of this authors interest, passion, study, and devotion. This author or I consider only those documets to be canonical. Sometimes I might quote or cite other ancient or modern resources but I do not consider those to the sources or to be canonical. Since the sources (as refered to by this blog) are roughly equivalent to the standard protestant canon of scripture or Bible one may wonder why not just use the phrase Sola Scriptura? Because Sola Scriptura doesn’t necessarily imply a return to the original language documents of canonical scripture, but historically Ad fontes has and does. Also, Ad Fontes serves as an ever present reminder that translations no matter how eloquent or helpful are considered to be neither the Scriptures, nor the Sources. Translations can, however be considered to be commentary, interpertations, and theology. However, here on this blog Ad Fontes only applies to the Original Language texts of Scripture.
Grace and Peace