Franz Volkmar Reinhard (12 March 1753 – 6 September 1812) was a German

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

born in Vohenstrauß.

Biography

In 1780 he became an associate professor of

theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

and

philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

at the University of Wittenberg, where he served as rector in 1790–91. In 1792 he was appointed ''Oberhofprediger'' (first preacher) to the Saxon court in

Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...

. Reinhard was one of the more influential Protestant ministers of his era, and was an important representative of "enlightened theological supernaturalism". He was not opposed to contemporary rationalist thought, yet at the same time stressed the importance of divine supremacy and Biblical authority. In his sermons and lectures he attempted to establish the "truth of

Lutheranism Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

" by rational means. Reinhard was a prominent figure in the Leben-Jesu-Forschung (Quest for the Historical Jesus) movement, a concept initiated by Hermann Samuel Reimarus (1694-1768). He also exerted considerable influence upon the German educational system.

Published works

Among written works attributed to him was a 39-volume collection of his sermons that were published between 1793 and 1837. Other noted publications by Reinhard include: * ''Versuch über den Plan, welchen der Stifter der christlichen Religion..'' (1781); translated into English in 1831 as "Plan of the Founder of Christianity". * ''System der christlichen Moral'' (System of Christian morals); (1792). * ''Vorlesungen über die Dogmatik'' (Lectures on dogmatics); (1801).

References

Christian Classics Ethereal Library
(biography) {{DEFAULTSORT:Reinhard, Franz Volkmar 18th-century German Protestant theologians Academic staff of the University of Wittenberg People from Neustadt an der Waldnaab (district) 1753 births 1812 deaths German male non-fiction writers 18th-century German male writers