German Christianity Society

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The German Christianity Society was founded on August 30, 1780 by Johann August Urlsperger as the German Society for the Promotion of Pure Teaching and True Godliness . The Society of Good Friends founded by Hieronymus Annoni soon became the center of the members. In the years that followed, numerous sub-companies in Germany and Switzerland emerged in the sphere of influence of Halle Pietism .

However, JA Urlsperger did not succeed in achieving his original goal of a doctrinal- apologetic defense of Christian truth against deism and rationalism . The German Christianity Society became a gathering point for groups who believed in the Bible, the later germ cells of the revival movement .

Important members were Johann Caspar Lavater , Johann Heinrich Jung-Stilling , Johann Friedrich Oberlin , the prelate Magnus Friedrich Roos , the preacher Karl Heinrich Rieger and the preacher Martin Stephan . In 1786 the monthly collections for lovers of Christian truth and godliness was created .

With the turn to evangelical circles in the West and their missionary activities , under the influence of Carl Friedrich Adolf Steinkopf and Christian Friedrich Spittler , biblical and missionary branches emerged in Germany , from which the Basler Missionsgesellschaft emerged in 1815 and the St. Chrischona pilgrimage mission in 1840 .

The German Christianity Society created the Poor School Teachers Institution in Beuggen as social works, in 1820 the Diakonische Anstalten Beuggen (since 1983 Evangelical Conference Center Castle Beuggen ), in 1830 the deaf and dumb institution in Beuggen and in 1839 in Riehen (today the deaf and speech healing school in Riehen ) Basel Children's Hospital and in 1853 the Diakonissenhaus Riehen.

The German Christianity Society established a chair for theology at the University of Basel , the first holder of which was Johann Tobias Beck .

However, since the second half of the 19th century, the German Christianity Society has become increasingly meaningless. Until the " Stiftung Deutsche Christentumsgesellschaft" was dissolved, the foundation capital continued to be used for diaconal and social tasks.

In the last few decades the foundation had supported the bereaved of deceased pastors in the Czech Republic . On December 11, 2002, the Board of Trustees decided to dissolve the foundation. The foundation capital was handed over to the Synodal Council of the Evangelical Church of the Bohemian Brethren in the Czech Republic, which continues to support the parish widows and orphans.

literature

  • Martin Brecht (ed.): The Basler Christianity Society. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1982, ISBN 3-525-55878-3 .
  • Christoph Johann Riggenbach, Immanuel Stockmeyer , Hermann Prätorius: For the centenary commemoration of the German Christianity Society. Three speeches given on October 17, 1880. Spittler, Basel 1880.
  • Ernst Staehelin (ed.): The Christianity Society in the Age of Enlightenment and the beginning awakening. Texts from letters, minutes and publications (= theological journal / special volume; 2). Reinhardt, Basel 1970, ISSN  0040-5701 .
  • Ernst Staehelin (Ed.): The Christianity Society in the Time from Awakening to the Present. Texts from letters, minutes and publications (= theological journal / special volume; 4). Reinhardt, Basel 1974, ISBN 3-7245-0309-1 .