Friedrich Ludwig Sieffert

Friedrich Ludwig Sieffert (born February 1, 1803 in Elbing ; † November 2, 1877 in Bonn ) was a German Protestant theologian.

Life

The son of the businessman Johann Sieffert had received his pre-university education at the grammar school in his hometown. Following his mother's request, he studied theology and joined the Reformed church in his hometown. As a result, he quickly got to know the different currents of the Protestant church of that time. At Easter 1821 he began his theological studies at the University of Königsberg , for which he attended lectures at the Philosophical Faculty as a basis. His formative teachers at that time were Johann Friedrich Herbart and August Hahn . Guided by these teachers, he received his doctorate in philosophy at Easter 1824.

He then continued his studies at the University of Berlin , where he was particularly encouraged by August Neander . In the summer of 1825 he interrupted his two-year stay in Berlin to travel to Vienna with a travel grant . Here he studied the commentary of Bishop Theodor von Mopsuestia on the minor prophets at the Vienna library . Returning to Berlin, he was appointed a licentiate in theology in 1826 and completed his habilitation with a paper on the aforementioned bishop in 1827 as a private lecturer at the theological faculty of the Königsberg University.

In Konigsberg he had developed a significant effect by intervening independently in the problems of exegesis of the Old Testament, which were then lively discussed. Convinced of the abilities of the young theologian, he was appointed extraordinary professor of theology by the curators of the Königsberg University in October 1828 and in the same year he was appointed head of the theological-exegetical seminar there. In 1830, on the occasion of the secular celebration of the Augsburg Confession organized by the theological faculty , he was appointed doctor of theology.

After moving from the history of interpretation to exegesis and biblical criticism, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, in his private academic studies, in 1832 he published what is probably his most important work On the Origin of the First Canonical Gospel . At the time, this work was regarded as an epoch-making work.

Despite some criticism against which he was able to defend himself, it was recognized in Königsberg what good use Sieffert represented for the university, and in 1834 he was appointed full professor of theology. In this capacity he also participated in the organizational tasks of the university and was rector of the alma mater in the winter semester of 1836/37 . An eye ailment, which influenced his scientific work since that time, forced him to take over the position of third court preacher at the castle church in Königsberg in 1839. After he had become assessor at the Königsberg consistory in 1841, he took over the duties of the Königsberg consistory as consistorial councilor in 1842.

However, he resigned his consistorial activity in 1857 and retired from his university teaching position in 1873. He spent the last years of his life with his only son, Anton Emil Friedrich Sieffert , who was also a professor of theology. (Two daughters, who had also emerged from his marriage to Emma Dunker in 1833, did not survive him). After his death, with the thirty-two-page publication, a sketch of his life was created for him as a literary memorial (published in the East Prussian newspaper and publishing house printer, 1880).

Works

• De libera quam dicunt, hominum voluntate: dissertate philosophorum ordini in Academica Regimontana. Berlin 1824 ( online )
• Chrestomathia Syriaca, cum notis philologicis historicis atque Glossario. Leipzig 1825 (together with August Hahn) and 1867 ( online )
• Theodorus Mopsuestenus veteris testamenti sobrie interpretandi vindex. Königsberg 1827 ( online )
• De singulorum librorum sacrorum auctoritate canonica recte aestimanda. Königsberg 1836 ( Online , together with Albert Kahle)
• About the origin of the first canonical gospel. A critical treatise. Königsberg, 1832, ( online )
• De ultima domini Jesu Christi coena. Koenigsberg 1839
• A brief response to the police president of the Burgkirchen Collegium, Dr. Abegg published "Illumination of the Protest" which matter of the newly filled court preacher position at the Burgkirchen Collegium had been lodged by me. Koenigsberg 1845
• Suggestions about the apologetic foundation of Christian belief. 1871

literature

• Friedrich Anton Emil Sieffert:  Friedrich Ludwig Sieffert . In: Realencyklopadie for Protestant Theology and Church (RE). 3. Edition. Volume 18, Hinrichs, Leipzig 1906, pp. 317-320.
• Hans Prutz : The royal Albertus University of Königsberg i. Pr. In the nineteenth century. Verlag Hartungsche Verlagsdruckerei, Königsberg, 1894, p. 201 f.