Johann Salomo Semler

Johann Salomo Semler, Salomon, ( born December 18, 1725 in Saalfeld, Thuringia, † March 14, 1791 in Halle ( Saale) ) was a Protestant theologian and co-founder of the Enlightenment theology, especially the historical-critical biblical scholarship.

Life

Semler was born into a pietistic family, studied at Halle and then became editor of a magazine. As of 1752, the enlightened Christian worked as a professor of theology at the University of Halle, and became the founder of the historical-critical Scripture Research: The Bible text to be critically analyzed. He took a clear demarcation from the older Protestant orthodoxy, pietism and the Enlightenment to the famous Voltaire and d' Holbach.

His grave is located on the Halle Stadtgottesacker ( sheet 53).

Life's work

In 1771 he published his major work Treatise of free investigation of the canon. The canon was determined by historical contingencies and not " fallen from heaven ". The historical development process follows in the foreground. He considers the texts were until much later after the time of which they report. He concluded that in Scripture, although the word of God is included, but is not the word of God. He therefore rejects the orthodox principle of Scripture ( verbal inspiration ), there was error in the lyrics, contradictions and accessories.

From this he developed the requirement that one must critically analyze and make use of the contemporary historical conditionings significantly. The New Testament had by accommodation, adjustment of Jesus on the horizon of understanding of the people of that time arose. One can not translate statements in parallel to the present time, because the texts were indebted to her at that time. Christianity was transmitted orally until the 2nd century, and then only fixed in writing.

Semler developed a sense of theology, which was characterized by a distinction between public and private scientific theology living religion: The private religiosity is a dogma-free, emotional inner religion of the responsible individual, which requires no faith. The public religion, however, is the necessary ecclesiastical form, an outward religion that holds to the dogmas and traditional confessions. This distinction allowed the really liberal Semler even to accept the Prussian- conservative so-called Wöllnerschen Religion Edict of 1788.

Works

• Erleuterung of Egyptian antiquities. Due to translation of Plutarch's writing of the Isis and Osiris and the news of Egypt from Herodotus 's second book with accompanying Anmerckungen In addition to a preface victory. Jacob Baumgarten. Grain, Breslau and Leipzig 1748 ( digitized version of the Heidelberg University Library ).
• Attempt to approach guide to useful diligence throughout the Gottesgelersamkeit for aspiring Studiosos Theologiae. Eingel. and new ed. by Dirk Fleischer.. Nachdr of Ed Hall, Gebauer, 1757 knowledge and criticism 23 Spenner, Waltrop 2001 ( Vol 1: ISBN 3-933688-54- X; vol 2: ISBN 3-933688-55-8, Vol 3: ISBN 3-933688-56-6 )
• Attempt to facilitate the use of sources in the State and church history of mitlern times. New ed. and inlaid. by Dirk Fleischer. Nachdr of Ed Hall, Gebauer, in 1761. Know and criticism 5 Spenner, ISBN 3-927718-24-6 Waltrop 1996
• Treatise of free investigation of the Canon, 4 vols, 1771-1775 ( ed. by Heinz Scheible, texts for churches and theological history 5, Gütersloh publisher Poppy, Gütersloh 2nd edition 1980, 94 pp., ISBN 3-579 - 04430-3 )
• Collections of letters and essays on the Gaßnerischen and Schröpferischen exorcisms. With his own many comments. Ed and inlaid. by Dirk Fleischer.. 2 vols Reprint of the ed hall 1776 criticism of knowledge and 21 Spenner, Waltrop 2004 ( Part 1: ISBN 3-933688-33-7 Part 2: ISBN 3-933688-34-5 )
• Preface and notes to: Test a biblical demonology, or examination of the scriptural doctrine of the devil and his power of Otto Justus Basil Hesse. New ed. and with an introd vers. by Dirk Fleischer. Nachdr of Ed Hall, Hemmerde, 1776. Spenner knowledge and criticism 15, 1998 ISBN 3-933688-07-8 Waltrop
• Answering the fragments of a particular Ungenanten the purpose of Jesus and his disciples. New ed. and with an introd vers. by Dirk Fleischer. Reprint of the ed Hall, 1779. Know and criticism 25 Spenner, 2003 ISBN 3-89991-004-4 Waltrop
• Christology and soteriology. With Introduction, Commentary and registers. Edited by Gottfried Hornig and Hartmut R. Schulz. Neudr the "Preparing for the Royal United Britannic mission of the divinity of Christ ," Hall, Gebauer, 1787. Königshausen & Neumann, Würzburg 1990 ISBN 3-88479-469-8
• Hugo Farmers Essay on the demonic of the New Testament. Translated from English by LFA of Coelln, In addition to a preface D. Joh Sat Semler. Reprint of the edition of Bremen and Leipzig in 1776 initiated. , And reissued by Dirk Fleischer. Knowledge and Criticism Vol 18, Waltrop 2000, ISBN 3-933688-21-3
• Hugo Farmers Letters to D. Worthington about the demonic in the Gospels. With additions and a preface to improve the concept of inspiration, by D. John Sal Semler. Newly edited and introduced by Dirk Fleischer, Reprint of the edition Hall, 1783. Know and criticism, Bd.20, Waltrop 2000, ISBN 3-933688-24-8
• About historical, geselschaftliche and moral religion of the Christians (1786 ). With supplements, edited, annotated and introduced by Dirk Fleischer ( RELIGION HISTORY OF EARLY MODERN TIMES, Volume 10 ), Nordhausen, 2009. ISBN 978-3-88309-539-4.
• New tests the church history of the first centuries elucidate more (1788 ). With supplements, edited and introduced by Dirk Fleischer ( RELIGION HISTORY OF EARLY MODERN TIMES, Volume 7 ), Nordhausen, 2010. ISBN 978-3-88309-501-1
• Last creed supernatural and Christian religion. With supplements, edited, annotated and introduced by Dirk Fleischer ( RELIGION HISTORY OF EARLY MODERN TIMES, Vol 12), Nordhausen, 2012.
• Conversations with Mr. Lavater, using the free Practical Religion; also on the review of recent theology. Edited and introduced by Dirk Fleischer ( RELIGION HISTORY OF EARLY MODERN TIMES, Volume 13 ). Nordhausen, 2012.
• John Moritz Schwager: Beytrag the history of intolerance or food, Meynungen and fates of former Doct. theology and Reformed preacher in Amsterdam Balthasar Bekker usually after church records. With a preface Mr. Doct. John Solomon Semler under the supervision of a revised edition coming out next time the enchanted world (Leipzig 1780). Edited and introduced by Dirk Fleischer ( RELIGION HISTORY OF EARLY MODERN TIMES, Volume 18 ), Nordhausen, 2013.