Jakob Benzelius

Jacob (sometimes called Jacob ) Benzelius ( born February 26, 1683 Uppsala, † June 19, 1747 in Stockholm) was a Swedish Lutheran theologian and Archbishop of Uppsala.

Family

Benzelius belongs to the major theologian family Benzelius. His father Erik Benzelius the Elder was a professor of theology at Uppsala and later archbishop, his mother Margaretha Odhelia (1653-1693) was a granddaughter of Archbishop Peter Kenicius. Of their children, three sons were ennobled with the name Benzelstierna and had high secular offices held, while Jacob was to succeed his brother Erik and his brother Henrik predecessor Archbishop and thus the highest dignitaries of the Church of Sweden.

Benzelius married in 1709 Catharina Eden Berg ( 1693-1765 ), who was also a descendant of the Archbishops Peter and John Kenicius Canuti Lenaeus. Her sons were also knighted in 1747 and led since then the name Benzelstierna. Their daughter Margaret married to Bishop Johannes Engeström.

Life

Benzelius studied at Uppsala University and acquired in 1703 the philosophical master's degree. He then worked as an adjunct at the University before he made from 1707 to 1709 a study trip to Germany, France and Holland. After his return he worked at Uppsala University again and had the parish Uppsala Headlands as a stipend. In 1718 he was appointed professor of theology at the University of Lund and served as rector in 1722. 1725 he received his doctorate for Doctor Theologiae. 1731, he was the younger Bishop of Gothenburg to succeed his brother Erik Benzelius. When he died in 1743 before taking office as Archbishop of Uppsala, Jacob was built in 1744 his successor. He baptized in 1745 the Crown Prince Gustav (later King Gustav III. ). In 1747 he died during the Diet in Stockholm, but was interred in Uppsala Cathedral.

Work and significance

Benzelius had primarily through his theological textbooks that were written in the spirit of Lutheran orthodoxy, a lasting impact. His Epitome repetitionis theologicæ ( first in 1734, also in Swedish ) was reprinted well into the 19th century and used in the classroom. Particularly sharp he turned against supporters of pietism as Johann Konrad Dippel and Erik Tolstadius. As a member of the Reichstag, he supported the party of the hat- Arne.