Jakob Christoph Beck

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Jakob Christoph Beck (born March 1, 1711 in Basel ; † May 17, 1785 there ; entitled to live in Basel) was a Swiss Reformed theologian and historian .

life and work

Beck studied philosophy and theology at the University of Basel (1729 Magister Artium). From 1732 he took over various parish representations in the city and countryside of Basel. In 1737 he succeeded Johann Ludwig Frey as Professor of History at the University of Basel. In 1744 he switched to the professorship for doctrine of faith and controversial theology. In 1759 Beck became professor of the Old Testament. In addition, he worked as a librarian from 1753 and from 1758 as a lecturer at the Frey-Grynaeisches Institute for the promotion of theological research and teaching. He published several Swiss historical, dogmatic and biblical works. 1726-27 he was co-editor of the historical lexicon of Johann Franz Buddeusin a new and improved form under the title Neu-Vermehrtes Historisch- und Geographisches Allgemeine Lexicon ; the two supplement volumes appeared in 1742 and 1744.

After Johann Ludwig Frey and Samuel Werenfels, Beck was the leading representative of “reasonable orthodoxy” in Basel. Theologically, he turned against pietism in particular (the ground of separatism, or the answer to the most noble causes, because of which the separatists separate themselves from public worship; the erring for wholesome instruction, but others for warning . Basel 1753) and advocated a universalistic concept of theology but without further developing the approaches of Frey and Werenfels theologically.

literature

  • Wilhelm Vischer :  Beck, Jakob Christoph . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 2, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1875, p. 213 f.
  • Andreas Urs Sommer : Theology and history with a practical purpose: Jakob Christoph Beck (1711–1785) . In the S. (Ed.): In the field of tension between God and the world. Contributions to the past and present of the Frey-Grynaeisches Institut . Basel 1997, pp. 63-79.
  • The correspondence of the Basel professor Jakob Christoph Beck 1711–1785 . Edited by Ernst Staehelin , Basel 1968 (= Studies on the History of Science in Basel, Vol. 18)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Beck, Jakob Christoph
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Beck, Jacob Christoff
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss theologian and historian
DATE OF BIRTH March 1, 1711
PLACE OF BIRTH Basel
DATE OF DEATH May 17, 1785
Place of death Basel