history of theology

Der Vortrag würdigt zu Beginn Philipp Melanchthons Bedeutung für die Reformation und den Aufbau des Bildungswesens in Siebenbürgen und wendet sich dann seinem theologischen Hauptwerk, den Loci theologici zu. Während unter dem Einfluß des Neuprotestantismus die frühen Loci von 1521 starke Beachtung erhalten hatten, waren die späteren Fassungen der Loci in den Ruf geraten, Melanchthon habe hier seinen reformatorischen Elan verloren. Melanchthon nennt jedoch auch in seiner letzten Ausgabe der Loci 1559 die Lehre von der Rechtfertigung den Hauptinhalt der christlichen Botschaft.

This paper deals with two letters, dedicated by the Hungarian Protestant noblemen to Paul Eber, professor of the University of Wittenberg. The first letter was dated to the 3rd of April, 1561, its author being baron John Balassi, father of the great Hungarian renaissance poet, Bálint (Valentine) Balassi. John Balassi expresses his gratitude for Eber’s letter, dedicated to him and informed him about the earthquake which took place in the Danubian district, at the beginning of March.

Eduard Böhl (1836–1903), a scholar of the second half of the nineteenth century, was professor of dogmatics at the Protestant Theological Faculty in Vienna for 35 years. His lifework was his “Dogmatics”, which he wrote for 23 years. In this unfairly forgotten work, he formulates cardinal Reformed beliefs providing the reader with accurate guidance regarding theology, anthropology, soterology, and eschatology. This study analyses Böhl’s teaching based on the last major chapter of his book, concerned with the “End of Times”.

As a theologian Niebuhr is best known for his “Christian Realism” which emphasized the persistent roots of evil in human life. In his works he stressed the egoism, the pride and hypocrisy of nations and classes. Later he saw these as ultimately the fruit of the insecurity and anxious defensiveness of humans in their finiteness. On the political field, his activities were influenced by his socialist-Christian convictions. Later he broke with the Socialist Party over its pacifist and non-interventionist attitude in foreign policy.