Johann Georg Pfotenhauer

Johann Georg Pfotenhauer (born October 2, 1710 in Wetzendorf ; † November 21, 1757 ) was a German Lutheran theologian .

Life

Johann Georg Pfotenhauer was the son of a preacher in Wetzendorf an der Unstrut and he owed his father a careful upbringing. The initial lessons by private tutors were later taken over by the father himself. At the school in Naumburg , Pfotenhauer was known for his diligence and thirst for knowledge. Rector Bare and Vice Rector Schocher were his teachers there. He had particularly rapid progress under the latter Hebrew made to study when he 1729 Theology , the University of Leipzig moved. He gave up the initial plan to devote himself to academic life. Theology remained his main course. He received his scientific training in particular from Professors Börner , Clausing, Pfeiffer, Deiling, Hebenstreit and Teller. He received practical instruction on eloquence in the pulpit from Teller's lessons. Johann Gottlob Carpzov was his most important teacher in the field of oriental languages ​​and literature . He expanded his philosophical knowledge by attending Müller's lectures.

His acquaintance with the von Landvogt family brought Pfotenhauer a pastor's position in Groß-Göstewitz in 1734, after he had been tutor to Chamberlain von Posern zu Thierbach for a year. In 1741 he was called to Wittenberg as the fourth deacon . There he moved up to the third position in 1744 and the second in 1749. In 1754 the theological faculty in Wittenberg granted him the degree of doctor of theology , after public defense of his inaugural dissertation Qua probatur libros nostros symbolicos doctrinam verae pietatis recte et plene tradere (Wittenberg 1754). He died in 1757 at the age of 47.

Pfotenhauer had a thorough knowledge of the various branches of theology. He held steadfastly to the belief in revelation and tried to fight its opponents, especially Johann Christian Edelmann , who represented pantheistic doctrines , with valid reasons. For this purpose he wrote the treatise Complete refutation of the Edelmann creed, in which at the same time a French freethinking work, which was previously known under two titles, is examined and assessed (2 vols., Wittenberg and Frankfurt 1748-49). His inaugural dissertation mentioned above shows what he wanted to be understood by true religiosity. He considered the confessional writings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church to be the sole basis for this , and he defended the teachings contained in those books not only against Edelmann but also against Arnold, against Johann Michael von Loën and other of his opponents. Among the small number of his writings, one should mention above all his Commentatio de rationalismo in contrahendis Christianorum matrimoniis fugiendo, printed in 1752 at Wittenberg . In another treatise from 1753 he described the merits of marriage over celibacy .

literature

• Heinrich Döring : Pfotenhauer (Johann Georg) , in: Johann Samuelansch , Johann Gottfried Gruber : (Ed.): Allgemeine Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste , 3rd section, 21st part (1846), p. 276.