Karl Rudolf Hagenbach
Encyclopedia
Karl Rudolf Hagenbach was a Swiss
church historian
.
, where his father was a practising physician
. His preliminary education was at a Pestalozzi
an school, and afterwards at the gymnasium
, whence in due course he passed to the newly reorganized local university. He early devoted himself to theological studies and the service of the church, while at the same time cherishing I and developing broad "humanistic" tendencies which found expression in many ways and especially in an enthusiastic admiration for the writings of Herder.
The years 1820-1823 were spent first at Bonn
, where GCF Lucke (1791-1855) exerted a powerful influence on his thought, and afterwards at Berlin, where Schleiermacher
and Neander became his masters. Returning in 1823 to Basel, where WML de Wette
had recently been appointed to a theological chair, he distinguished himself greatly by his trial-dissertation, Observationes historico-hermeneuticae circa Origenis methodum interpretendae sacrae Scripturae; in 1824 he became professor extraordinarius, and in 1829 professor ordinarius of theology
.
Apart from his academic labours in connection with the history of dogma and of the church, he lived a life of great and varied usefulness as a theologian, a preacher and a citizen; and at his jubilee in 1873, not only the university and town of Basel but also the various churches of Switzerland
united to do him honour. He died at Basel on 7 June 1874.
, nor so original and profound as those of Neander, his lectures are clear, attractive and free from narrow sectarian prejudice. In dogmatics, while avowedly a champion of the mediation theology (Vermittelungstheologie), based upon the fundamental conceptions of Herder and Schleiermacher, he was much less revolutionary than were many others of hi's school. He sought to maintain the old confessional documents, and to make the objective prevail over the purely subjective manner of viewing theological questions. But he himself was aware that in the endeavour to do so he was not always successful, and that his delineations of Christian dogma
often betrayed a vacillating and uncertain hand.
His works include:
The lecture
s on church history under the general title Vorlesungen über die Kirchengeschichte von der ältesten Zeit bis zum 19ten Jahrhundert were reissued in seven volumes (1868-1872; vol. 1; vol. 2;vol. 3; vol. 4; vol. 5; vol. 6; vol. 7).
See especially the article by R. Staehelin, "Hagenbach, Karl Rudolf," in P. Schaff, J. J. Herzog, A. Hauck, eds., The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, vol. 5 (New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1909), p. 115.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
church historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
.
Life
He was born at BaselBasel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, where his father was a practising physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. His preliminary education was at a Pestalozzi
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi was a Swiss pedagogue and educational reformer who exemplified Romanticism in his approach....
an school, and afterwards at the gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
, whence in due course he passed to the newly reorganized local university. He early devoted himself to theological studies and the service of the church, while at the same time cherishing I and developing broad "humanistic" tendencies which found expression in many ways and especially in an enthusiastic admiration for the writings of Herder.
The years 1820-1823 were spent first at Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, where GCF Lucke (1791-1855) exerted a powerful influence on his thought, and afterwards at Berlin, where Schleiermacher
Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher
Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher was a German theologian and philosopher known for his attempt to reconcile the criticisms of the Enlightenment with traditional Protestant orthodoxy. He also became influential in the evolution of Higher Criticism, and his work forms part of the foundation of...
and Neander became his masters. Returning in 1823 to Basel, where WML de Wette
Wilhelm Martin Leberecht de Wette
Wilhelm Martin Leberecht de Wette , was a German theologian and biblical scholar.-Life and Education:He was born at Ulla, near Weimar, where his father was pastor. He was sent to the gymnasium at Weimar, then at the height of its literary fame...
had recently been appointed to a theological chair, he distinguished himself greatly by his trial-dissertation, Observationes historico-hermeneuticae circa Origenis methodum interpretendae sacrae Scripturae; in 1824 he became professor extraordinarius, and in 1829 professor ordinarius of theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
.
Apart from his academic labours in connection with the history of dogma and of the church, he lived a life of great and varied usefulness as a theologian, a preacher and a citizen; and at his jubilee in 1873, not only the university and town of Basel but also the various churches of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
united to do him honour. He died at Basel on 7 June 1874.
Works
Hagenbach was a voluminous author, distinguished as a writer on church history. Though neither so learned and condensed as the contributions of GieselerJohann Karl Ludwig Gieseler
Johann Karl Ludwig Gieseler, KH was a Protestant German church historian.-Biography:He was born at Petershagen, near Minden, where his father, Georg Christof Friedrich, was preacher...
, nor so original and profound as those of Neander, his lectures are clear, attractive and free from narrow sectarian prejudice. In dogmatics, while avowedly a champion of the mediation theology (Vermittelungstheologie), based upon the fundamental conceptions of Herder and Schleiermacher, he was much less revolutionary than were many others of hi's school. He sought to maintain the old confessional documents, and to make the objective prevail over the purely subjective manner of viewing theological questions. But he himself was aware that in the endeavour to do so he was not always successful, and that his delineations of Christian dogma
Dogma
Dogma is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion, or a particular group or organization. It is authoritative and not to be disputed, doubted, or diverged from, by the practitioners or believers...
often betrayed a vacillating and uncertain hand.
His works include:
- Tabellarische Übersicht der Dogmengeschichte (1828).
- Encyclopädie u. Methodologie der theol. Wissenschaften (1833/1889; English trans., 1884/1891).
- Vorlesungen über Wesen u. Geschichte der Reformation u. des Protestantismus (1834-1843; vol. 1-2; vol. 3; vol. 4; English transl., vol. 1, 1878; vol. 2, 1879).
- Lehrbuch der Dogmengeschichte (1840-1841, 5th ed., 1867; English transl., vol. 1, 1850, vol. 2, 1861).
- Die Kirchengeschichte des 18. und 19. Jahrhunderts: Aus dem Standpunkte des evangelischen Protestantismus (Part I, 1848; English transl., vol. 1, 1870; vol. 2, 1870).
- Vorlesungen über die Geschichte der alten Kirche (1853-1855).
- Vorlesungen über die Kirchengeschichte des Mittelalters (1860-1861).
- German Rationalism, in its Rise, Progress, and Decline, in Relation to Theologians, Scholars, Poets, Philosophers, and the People (1865).
- Grundlinien der Homiletik u. Liturgik (1863)
- Johann Oekolampad und Oswald Myconius, die Reformatoren Basels. Leben und ausgewählte Schriften (1859).
- Geschichte der theol. Schule Basels (1860).
- his Predigten (1858-1875).
- two volumes of poems entitled Luther u. seine Zeit (1838), and Gedichte (1846).
The lecture
Lecture
thumb|A lecture on [[linear algebra]] at the [[Helsinki University of Technology]]A lecture is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history,...
s on church history under the general title Vorlesungen über die Kirchengeschichte von der ältesten Zeit bis zum 19ten Jahrhundert were reissued in seven volumes (1868-1872; vol. 1; vol. 2;vol. 3; vol. 4; vol. 5; vol. 6; vol. 7).
See especially the article by R. Staehelin, "Hagenbach, Karl Rudolf," in P. Schaff, J. J. Herzog, A. Hauck, eds., The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, vol. 5 (New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1909), p. 115.