Friedrich Julius Stahl
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Julius Stahl German
ecclesiastical lawyer and politician, was born at Würzburg
, of Jewish parentage.
Although as Joël Jolson brought up strictly in the Jewish religion
, he was allowed to attend the gymnasium, and, as a result of its influence, was at the age of seventeen baptized into the Lutheran Church at Erlangen in November 6, 1819. To this faith he clung with earnest devotion and persistence until his death. Having studied law
at Würzburg
, Heidelberg and Erlangen, Stahl, on taking the degree of doctor juris, established himself as privatdozent
in Munich, was appointed (1832) ordinary professor of law at Würzburg, and in 1840 received the chair of ecclesiastical law and polity at Berlin
.
Here he immediately made his mark as an ecclesiastical lawyer, and was appointed a member of the first chamber of the synod
. Elected in 1850 a member of the short-lived Erfurt parliament, he bitterly opposed the idea of German federation. Stahl early fell under the influence of Schelling
, and at the latter's insistence, began in 1827 his great work: Die Philosophie des Rechts nach geschichtlicher Ansicht (an historical view of the philosophy of law), in which he bases all law and political science upon Christian
revelation, denies rationalistic doctrines, and, as a deduction from this principle, maintains that a state church must be strictly confessional.
This position he further elucidated in his Der christliche Staat und sein Verhältniss zum Deismus und Judenthum (The Christian State and its relation to Deism and Judaism; 1874). As Oberkirchenrath (synodal councillor) Stahl used all his influence to weaken the Evangelical Union
(i.e. that compromise between the Calvinist
and Lutheran doctrines which is the essence of the Prussian Evangelical Church
) and to strengthen the influence of the Lutheran Church (cf. Die Lutherische Kirche und die Union, 1859). Stahl advocated the formation of an episcopal constitution of the Lutherans, similar to Roman Catholics or Anglicans.
The Prussian minister von Bunsen
attacked him, while King Frederick William IV
supported Stahl in his ecclesiastical policy, and the Prussian Evangelical Church
would probably have been dissolved had not the regency of Prince William (afterwards William I, German Emperor
) supervened in 1858. Stahl's influence fell under the new régime, and, while remainig a member of Prussian "Herrenhaus" (House of Lords), he resigned his seat on the synod. During taking a cure he unexpected died at Bad Brückenau
.
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...
ecclesiastical lawyer and politician, was born at Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
, of Jewish parentage.
Although as Joël Jolson brought up strictly in the Jewish religion
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, he was allowed to attend the gymnasium, and, as a result of its influence, was at the age of seventeen baptized into the Lutheran Church at Erlangen in November 6, 1819. To this faith he clung with earnest devotion and persistence until his death. Having studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at Würzburg
University of Würzburg
The University of Würzburg is a university in Würzburg, Germany, founded in 1402. The university is a member of the distinguished Coimbra Group.-Name:...
, Heidelberg and Erlangen, Stahl, on taking the degree of doctor juris, established himself as privatdozent
Privatdozent
Privatdozent or Private lecturer is a title conferred in some European university systems, especially in German-speaking countries, for someone who pursues an academic career and holds all formal qualifications to become a tenured university professor...
in Munich, was appointed (1832) ordinary professor of law at Würzburg, and in 1840 received the chair of ecclesiastical law and polity at Berlin
Humboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
.
Here he immediately made his mark as an ecclesiastical lawyer, and was appointed a member of the first chamber of the synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
. Elected in 1850 a member of the short-lived Erfurt parliament, he bitterly opposed the idea of German federation. Stahl early fell under the influence of Schelling
Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling
Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling , later von Schelling, was a German philosopher. Standard histories of philosophy make him the midpoint in the development of German idealism, situating him between Fichte, his mentor prior to 1800, and Hegel, his former university roommate and erstwhile friend...
, and at the latter's insistence, began in 1827 his great work: Die Philosophie des Rechts nach geschichtlicher Ansicht (an historical view of the philosophy of law), in which he bases all law and political science upon Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
revelation, denies rationalistic doctrines, and, as a deduction from this principle, maintains that a state church must be strictly confessional.
This position he further elucidated in his Der christliche Staat und sein Verhältniss zum Deismus und Judenthum (The Christian State and its relation to Deism and Judaism; 1874). As Oberkirchenrath (synodal councillor) Stahl used all his influence to weaken the Evangelical Union
Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church)
The Prussian Union was the merger of the Lutheran Church and the Reformed Church in Prussia, by a series of decrees – among them the Unionsurkunde – by King Frederick William III...
(i.e. that compromise between the Calvinist
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
and Lutheran doctrines which is the essence of the Prussian Evangelical Church
Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church)
The Prussian Union was the merger of the Lutheran Church and the Reformed Church in Prussia, by a series of decrees – among them the Unionsurkunde – by King Frederick William III...
) and to strengthen the influence of the Lutheran Church (cf. Die Lutherische Kirche und die Union, 1859). Stahl advocated the formation of an episcopal constitution of the Lutherans, similar to Roman Catholics or Anglicans.
The Prussian minister von Bunsen
Christian Charles Josias Bunsen
Christian Charles Josias, Baron von Bunsen was a German diplomat and scholar.-Early life and education:Bunsen was born at Korbach, an old town in the little German principality of Waldeck....
attacked him, while King Frederick William IV
Frederick William IV of Prussia
|align=right|Upon his accession, he toned down the reactionary policies enacted by his father, easing press censorship and promising to enact a constitution at some point, but he refused to enact a popular legislative assembly, preferring to work with the aristocracy through "united committees" of...
supported Stahl in his ecclesiastical policy, and the Prussian Evangelical Church
Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church)
The Prussian Union was the merger of the Lutheran Church and the Reformed Church in Prussia, by a series of decrees – among them the Unionsurkunde – by King Frederick William III...
would probably have been dissolved had not the regency of Prince William (afterwards William I, German Emperor
William I, German Emperor
William I, also known as Wilhelm I , of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor .Under the leadership of William and his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the...
) supervened in 1858. Stahl's influence fell under the new régime, and, while remainig a member of Prussian "Herrenhaus" (House of Lords), he resigned his seat on the synod. During taking a cure he unexpected died at Bad Brückenau
Bad Brückenau
Bad Brückenau is a spa town in Bad Kissingen district in northern Bavaria. It is situated in the Rhön Mountains, 30 kilometers south of Fulda.-Geography:Bad Brückenau is located in the valley of the River Sinn, in the western part of the Rhön Mountains...
.
Selected works
- "Die Philosophie des Rechts nach geschichtlicher Ansicht," (3 volumes), Heidelberg, 1830, 1833, 1837;
- "Die Kirchenverfassung nach Lehre und Recht der Protestanten," Erlangen, 1840;
- "Ueber die Kirchenzucht," 1845 (2d ed. 1858);
- "Das Monarchische Prinzip," Heidelberg, 1845;
- "Der Christliche Staat," ib. 1847 (2d ed. 1858);
- "Die Revolution und die Konstitutionelle Monarchie," 1848 (2d ed. 1849);
- "Was ist Revolution?" ib. 1852, of which three editions were issued. His subsequent writings were:
- "Der Protestantismus als Politisches Prinzip," ib. 1853 (3d ed. 1854);
- "Die Katholischen Widerlegungen," ib. 1854;
- "Wider Bunsen," 1856;
- "Die Lutherische Kirche und die Union," 1859 (2d ed. 1860). After his death there were published
- "Siebenzehn Parlamentarische Reden," ib. 1862, and
- "Die Gegenwärtigen Parteien in Staat und Kirche," ib. 1868.
External links
- Stahl, Friedrich Julius (Jewish EncyclopediaJewish EncyclopediaThe Jewish Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia originally published in New York between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. It contained over 15,000 articles in 12 volumes on the history and then-current state of Judaism and the Jews as of 1901...
) - Stahl, Friedrich Julius (Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious KnowledgeSchaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious KnowledgeThe Schaff–Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge is a religious encyclopedia. It is based on an earlier German encyclopedia, the Realencyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche. Like the Realencyklopädie, it focuses on Christianity from a primarily Protestant point of...
) - Stahl, Friedrich Juliushttp://www.peterdrucker.at/en/texts/stahl_01.html (Peter F. Drucker)
- The Stahl Project (WordBridge Publishing)
- Speech of Friedrich Julius Stahl against the Repeal of the Prussian Constitution (1853)