Louis Gerlach Pareau, was a Dutch theologian born in Deventer

Deventer

Deventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. Deventer is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, but also has a small part of its territory on the west bank. In 2005 the municipality of Bathmen Deventer is a municipality and city in...

. He was the son of Jean Henri Pareau (1761-1833), a professor of Oriental languages

Oriental studies

Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...

 at the University of Utrecht.

In 1826 he graduated from Utrecht

Utrecht (city)

Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...

 with a dissertation titled Commentatio critica et exegetica in Paulinae Epistolae prioris ad Corinthos caput XIII. In 1831 he was appointed professor of theology at the University of Groningen

University of Groningen

The University of Groningen , located in the city of Groningen, was founded in 1614. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands as well as one of its largest. Since its inception more than 100,000 students have graduated...

, where he remained until his death in 1866. At Groningen he taught classes in exegesis

Exegesis

Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...

 and hermeneutics.

Pareau was one of the three founders of the "Groningen School

Groningen theology

Groningen theology was a popular movement which grew from the founding influence of Philip Willem van Heusde, who was Professor of Philosophy at the University of Utrecht from 1804 to 1839. The emphasis of the movement was education: God educates people through his acts. The ideas of Groningen...

", which was a progressive movement within the Dutch Reformed Church

Dutch Reformed Church

The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...

. In 1837 he was co-founder, and for many years editor of the journal Waarheid in Liefde (Truth and Love). With Petrus Hofstede de Groot

Petrus Hofstede de Groot

Petrus Hofstede de Groot , Dutch theologian, was born at Leer in East Friesland, and was educated at the Gymnasium and University of Groningen....

(1802-1886) he was co-author of the Encyclopaedia theologi Christiani.