Martin Kähler

Karl August Martin Kähler ( born January 6, 1835 in Neuhausen, near Konigsberg, † September 7th, 1912 Freudenstadt in the Black Forest ) was a German Protestant theologian.

Family

Martin Kähler was born as the son of Siegfried Oberkonsistorialrates August Kähler ( 1800-1895 ). The grandfather Ludwig August Kähler had already worked as a preacher and as strong rationalism Obligated professor in Königsberg. Martin Kähler's older brother was Major General Otto Kähler. Among his children are Minna Kähler (1867-1934), superior of the deaconess house Elisabethenstift in Darmstadt, Anna Kähler (1869-1956), painter and writer, Siegfried August Kähler (1885-1963), Professor of Modern History in Göttingen, Wilhelm Kähler, Professor of Economics, DNVP politician and Reich Commissioner of Prussia, and Walter Kähler, Protestant theologian and finally general superintendent in the Church of Pomerania.

Life

Martin Kähler visited in Elbing and Königsberg school, then started at the latter place the study of law, but soon, promoted by several diseases, for theology.

He began his study of Protestant theology at the University of Heidelberg, which he left quite soon in the direction of Halle (Saale ) and Tübingen. In Hall coined him especially August Tholuck. During his studies in Halle he became a member of the Halle Wingolf. After receiving his doctorate in 1860, he contributed to the founding of the Silesian Seminary, the first study, he became inspector. After a stint as an associate professor in Bonn 1864 - returned in 1867 as an associate professor in Halle back. In 1878 he received an ordinary professorship of Systematic Theology and New Testament.

Kähler coined next Tholuck also by Johann Tobias Beck and by sharing with Hermann Cremer, Julius Müller and Richard Rothe, considered himself a biblical theologian, for not the story influenced ( the opinion of ) God, but God made the story and pervaded (see reconciliation, 365 ). The theologian had to be the first following not a scientist but a Christian. In this sense then is also Kähler differentiation between the ( purely factual ) "History" or " historicity " and ( in faith ) lived ( and worked by faith ) "history" to understand.

Already in 1878 published writing Conscience is written in this perspective. Had a great effect obtained only the so-called historical Jesus and the historical, biblical Christ of 1892, a critical examination of the life of Jesus research, and his dogmatic design The doctrine of the atonement of 1898. These his overall presentation is also the science of the Christian teaching ( 1883), in which the entire doctrine of Christianity is developed from the article on justification. From the estate published 1962, the grandson Ernst Kähler the long closed retained transcripts of lectures, the partially corrected Martin Kähler itself, but with the note "May so do not be printed! " Had provided, under the title History of Protestant dogmatics in 19. century.

To Kählers pupils and followers were, among others Julius Schniewind, Ernst von Dobschütz, Karl Heim, William Lütgert, Rudolf Hermann and Hans Emil Weber and the Swedish theology professor and bishop Einar Billing. His call for an interwoven by faith teaching, after a "character church," which was located on the floor of the confession, worked well into the era of National Socialism. Not only Karl Barth, under whose auspices the Barmen Theological Declaration against the Nazi dictatorship and the German Christians was committed to her, but almost all members of the constituent itself out Confessing Church were students Kählers or at least influenced by him or his students.

Writings (selection )

• Sentences quae de conscientia ediderint theological per ecclesiae seculums florentes brevis Enarratio dissertation, 1860
• Paul, the disciple and messenger of Jesus of Nazareth. A life and character image. 1862
• The Scriptural doctrine of conscience. 1864
• The strong roots of our strength. Reflections on the grounds of the German Empire and its first crisis. 1872
• D. August Tholuck, born March 30, 1799 passed away June 10, 1877. A Sketch of My Life. Hall 1877
• Julius Müller, Hallische dogmatists. 1878
• Conscience. Ethical investigation. The development of his name and of his term. 1878 ( emphasis Darmstadt University Press, 1967)
• The science of Christian doctrine from the evangelical base article. 1883
• The so-called historical Jesus and the historical, biblical Christ. 1892; new ed. v. Ernst Wolf, ( = Theological Library. reprints and reports from the 20th century 2), 2 adv. Edition, Munich ( AD Emperor ) in 1956; new ed. and with an afterword provided by Sebastian Moll, Berlin ( Berlin University Press), 2013
• Dogmatic time issues. Old and new versions to the science of Christian doctrine.

• Theologian and Christian. Memoirs and Confessions of Martin Kahler, ed. v. Anna Kähler, Berlin 1926
• Born again through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ed. v. Martin Fischer, Neukirchen 1960
• History of Protestant dogmatics in the 19th century. 2 ext. Edition, R. Brockhaus, Wuppertal / Zurich 1989, ISBN 3-417-29343- X.
• Essays on the Bible question. ( = Theological Library. Reprints and reports from the 20th century 37 ), Munich 1967
• Writings on Christology and Mission. ( = Theological Library. Reprints and reports from the 20th century 42 ), Munich 1971

Remembrance

7 September Protestant calendar name.