Theologia Germanica

The Theologia German (also: Frankfurt ) is a German -speaking mystical font of the 14th century, which was probably written by an unidentified German religious priest who is to come in the Frankfurt district of Sachsenhausen.

Work and impact

The name comes from Martin Luther back, the German Theologia published writing under the title Eyn for the first time in print: first in 1516 due to an incomplete manuscript, then in 1518 as full text. With this title and the preface written by him, the reformer turned this Scripture against Latin scholasticism and claimed for the German one Latin, Greek and Hebrew par with theological expression. This does not reflect the intentions of the author's own, not the theme of German language which his work.

The Frankfurt was repeatedly handed down together with texts of the "German mysticism ": the Meister Eckhart, Johannes Tauler and Heinrich Suso's writings. He is also content in the tradition of mystics whose ultimate goal the " deification " of man or the union of the soul with God ( Unio Mystica ) is already in this world. The theology attaches particular importance to distinguish themselves from the heretical mysticism of the Brothers and Sisters of the Free Spirit, and therefore emphasizes the need of obedience and the significance of Jesus Christ for human salvation. In fact, some researchers argue that Scripture was written to reject the heresy of the Free Spirit in particular. Nevertheless, it has been read as an apology of pantheism in the early modern period and that is why in 1612 put on the papal index.

In the Middle Ages the church hand writing was not criticized, but was not yet very widespread: it is handed down only in ten, partly incomplete manuscripts; one of them is merely a copy of a print from the 16th century. In modern times, however, the issuance and appreciation of the text by Luther led to many new editions to date, documenting the continuing interest in the Theologia German.

Proof

Text output

A) Critical Issue:

  • Rear, Wolfgang von: The Franck Forter ( " Theologia German "). Critical text output. Artemis ( Munich texts on German literature of the Middle Ages 78), Munich / Zurich 1982

B) A selection of recent translations and editions:

  • German theology. Transmission Franz Pfeiffer, Gernsbach / Baden in 1886, digitized at archive.org
  • Frankfurt - A German theology. Transferring and introduced by Joseph Bernhart. The Cathedral, Leipzig 1920
  • Theologia German who teaches many a lovely knowledge of divine truth, and does not say high and even beautiful things of a perfect life. After Pfeiffer's text in newer brought German and with a foreword by Rudolf Alexander Schröder. Bertelsmann, Gütersloh 1947
  • Theologia German. A basic font German mysticism. Edited and introduced by Gerhard Wehr ( references p 155-157 ). Aurum, Freiburg 1980
  • " The Franck Forter ": Theologia German. In modern German translation edited and with an introduction by Alois M. Haas. Johannes Verlag ( Christian Masterpieces 7), 2nd Edition Freiburg 1993, ISBN 978-3-89411-279-0
Teutonic Knights Henry Suso
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