Theodor Kliefoth

Theodor Kliefoth ( born January 18, 1810 in Körchow; † January 26, 1895 in Schwerin; Complete name: Theodor Friedrich Dethlof Kliefoth ) was a German theologian and church reformer. He is regarded as the leading exponent of Neuluthertums in northern Germany and the most important theologian of the Mecklenburg church history. Kliefoth represented a complete repositioning of Lutheranism, which should be built on a renewal of worship, theology and church order from the spirit of the Reformation.

• 3.1 letters
• 3.2 Literature
• 3.3 External links
• 3.4 Notes and references

Life

Childhood

Theodor Kliefoth was the eldest son and first of twelve children of Mecklenburg pastor ( later Superintendent ) Kliefoth Johann ( 1772-1869 ) was born. He had the first school along with his slightly younger brother with the father. This was a sober and stern teacher. Great influence exercised the grandmother: She came from a French family and took probably the first lesson, so that Theodor Kliefoth spoke French very well. From her Kliefoth'schen children were also encouraged to do physical work. So had to Theodor Kliefoth, who remained until he was 17 his father's house, maintain the rectory garden, plow and operate beekeeping. He described his childhood as happy and harmonious later. From 1826, he attended high school Fridericianum in Schwerin and was here Easter 1829 together with a younger brother's high school graduation.

Study

Kliefoth studied from 1829 in Berlin, and from 1830 at the University of Rostock theology. In his time, Rostock Kliefoth joined the strongly influenced by the ideas of the early idealism Corps Vandalia Rostock. In Berlin, he was of the ideas of Friedrich Schleiermacher, whose lectures he attended and Hegel fascinated. By August Neander his highly esteemed he personally had contact. Even during his studies he was a disciplined, serious and hard-working student, which the loose, student life meant nothing. During the period of study in Rostock he already put on collections on the history of dogma and sought scientific excitation in a like-minded friends.

First job

Kliefoth ambitions for an academic career were not shared by his father. He had Easter 1832 assume a private tutor in a noble house in Mecklenburg. But in January 1833 he was appointed instructor of Prince Wilhelm of Mecklenburg at the court of Louis pleasure. The position he took up on 1 May 1833. Prior to attending, the seminar by Adolph Diesterweg in Berlin.

First publications

Here he wrote his first published work, " What is the use of chaplains may be promise in the study of the history of dogma? " She appeared in the 1833 " Church and School Bulletin Mecklenburg ". A comprehensive treatise on the position of the Lutheran dogmatics followed shortly after. Practical church had political impact his work of 1834 " About presbyteries in the Mecklenburg State Church ". Kliefoth employed further writings of Friedrich Schleiermacher, August Twesten and Karl Ludwig Nitzsch and operational history of dogma studies.

Stay in Dresden

When the Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg -Schwerin, Friedrich Franz II in 1837 went to the Institute of Karl Justus Blochmann in Dresden to study, accompanied him Theodor Kliefoth as educators by the year 1839 this was positive in several respects for Kliefoth. , He came later to the sovereigns close friendship, and the conditions to drive further studies in Dresden, were excellent. Here he was able to complete the "Introduction to the History of Economic Thought ", which appeared in 1839 when Hinstorff publisher. In October 1839, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Rostock.

Although Theodor Kliefoth still held no ecclesiastical office, he was in 1835 appointed by the state government of Mecklenburg with the preparation of an expert report for the transformation and strengthening of theological exams. The results were valid until 1844 in a corresponding regulation. In this work he had pointed out the defects of the Constitution of the State Church. The Synodalordnung adopted on December 29, 1841 was Kliefoth handwriting.

Preacher in Ludwigslust

Easter 1840 he left Dresden and was ordained on May 3, 1840 by his father as the second priest at the parish church in Ludwig 's content. Here he married the daughter of the court chaplain Agnes Walter. His sermons were alive, concretely and effectively, they made regularly for a filled church. From this time, some books were published with sermons.

Appeal to Schwerin

In the fall of 1844, he was appointed by the reigning Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II over the objection of the Government superintendent of the Diocese of Schwerin and thus for the first clergyman of Mecklenburg. He moved from Ludwig desire to Schwerin. 1848 Church government and state government were separated in 1850 took the Oberkirchenrat to work. In this Kliefoth was the creative director, although he as High Church Council President and externally took over until 1886, the leadership.

Kliefoth entered vigorously for the rights of the Church against the interference of the state.

A monument to his thoughts on worship, church, and even his view of church history ( represented in the stained glass windows ) is the neo-Gothic St. Paul's Church in Schwerin, built from 1863 to 1869. Kliefoth was in the building with the architect and the Ministerial Wickede of one of the three members of the church building committee. He was instrumental in helping to cement the principles according to which in Germany and probably beyond churches were built. These principles were formulated thesis form in the Lutheran conferences in 1856 and 1861, Eisenach regulative and almost had the force of law. Kliefoth had the Paul church whose theological builder he was, made ​​it the Vorführobjekt in an exemplary and excellent form.

With August Wilhelm Dieckhoff he gave from 1860 to 1864 in Schwerin, the " Theological Journal" out.

He wrote a multivolume history of worship, historical studies of the official acts and a "theory of the cult ." The liturgical research Kliefoth culminated in the four-volume Cantionale for the Lutheran churches in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg -Schwerin ( 1868-1887 ). This was the first significant order of service according to the Church Order of 1602 in Mecklenburg. Here is also found among the creations of medieval hymns Kliefoth translation of the Passion hymn Rex Christe, factor omnium, which is incorporated into today's hymnals: " O Christ, Thou Creator of all the world" ( EC 92). Kliefoth design should prove to be a whole lot too demanding for the Mecklenburg village churches.

On 1 October 1894, he went into retirement after he had celebrated the rare 60th anniversary with the company on 1 May 1893.

Works

• What are the benefits of chaplains may be promise in the study of the history of dogma, in: church and school library for Mecklenburg 2 (1833 ), No. 2, 33-120
• About the date hereof the Lutheran dogmatics. A history of dogma Overview, in: church and school library for Mecklenburg 2 (1833 ), No. 3, 1-74
• About the presbyteries in the Mecklenburg State Church, in: church and school library for 3 Mecklenburg (1834 ) Issue 3
• Introduction to the History of Economic Thought, Parchim / Ludwigslust 1839
• Sermons, Collection 1 2, 2 volumes, Parchim / Ludwigslust 1841-1843
• Theory of the cult of the Protestant Church, Parchim / Ludwigslust 1844
• The original order of service in the German churches of the Lutheran Confession, Rostock 1847
• Eight books of the Church, Schwerin / Rostock I 1854
• Church order, Schwerin 1855
• The scriptural proof of J.Chr.K. v. Hofmann, Schwerin 1860
• The prophet Zechariah, translated and interpreted, Schwerin 1862
• What called for under Article 7 of the Augsburg Confession in terms of church government in the Lutheran Church, in: The general Lutheran conference in Hannover on 1 and 2 July 1868
• The Book of Daniel, translated and explained, Schwerin 1868
• The Revelation of John, 3 vols. Leipzig 1874.
• Christian eschatology, Leipzig 1886

Sources and further information

Letters

• Theodor Kliefoth to Carl Dethloff Hinstorff January 17, 1839
• Theodor Kliefoth 27 at Carl Dethloff Hinstorff February 1839
• Theodor Kliefoth to " Dear Friend " in Ludwig pleasure January 30, 1845
• Theodor Kliefoth to Carl Dethloff Hinstorff January 8, 1847
• Recycling contract between Theodor Kliefoth and Carl Dethloff Hinstorff 5 / 9 February 1853