Johann Gottfried Lessing

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Johann Gottfried Lessing (born November 24, 1693 in Kamenz ; † August 22, 1770 there ) was a German Lutheran theologian .

Life

Main Church of St. Mary

The son of the Kamenz town clerk and later mayor Theophilus Lessing (born April 12, 1647 in Schkeuditz ; † November 4, 1735 in Kamenz) and his wife Anna Dorothea (born February 6, 1671; † October 6, 1719), the daughter of Kamenzer Mayor Gottfried Hillmann (1637–1718) and his wife Regina (née Wagner) attended the Latin school in his hometown. In 1707 he moved to the grammar school in Görlitz , where he acquired the tools for a university course.

Prepared in this way, he went to Wittenberg University on April 4, 1712 . Supported by an electoral scholarship, he attended the philosophy faculty of the university. There he mainly dealt with the study of the Oriental , French and English languages . Having these studies on April 30, 1713 with the promotion to Master had finished philosophy, he pursued a degree in theology . In addition, he passed the theological exam in Dresden and in 1717 took up the post of catechist and Wednesday preacher at the Kamenz Church of St. Mary . There he rose to archdeacon in 1724 and after his father-in-law Gottfried Feller (born January 24, 1674 Großhartmannsdorf near Freiberg (Saxony); † February 26, 1733 in Kamenz) died, he became the first pastor of Kamenz.

Lessing was a knowledgeable Lutheran theologian who adhered to the standpoint of Lutheran orthodoxy and was critical of all the new efforts of the Age of Enlightenment . He also denounced the conditions in his hometown, which often aroused the displeasure of the population.

family

Johann Gottfried Lessing married Justina Salome on January 16, 1725 in Kamenz (born November 3, 1703 in Gersdorf (today Haselbachtal ), † March 7, 1777 in Kamenz), the daughter of the first pastor of Kamenz, Gottfried Feller, and his wife Anna Justina (nee Schumann, born August 28, 1682, † July 3, 1758 in Kamenz). This marriage gave birth to twelve children - ten sons and two daughters - five of whom died early. He kept borrowing for his sons to finance their education. His sons Gotthold Ephraim Lessing , Karl Gotthelf Lessing and Gottlob Samuel Lessing (* January 23, 1739, † October 9, 1803) also achieved fame. The children Johann Theophilus Lessing (* November 12, 1732 in Kamenz; † October 6, 1808 in Chemnitz), Dorothea Salome Lessing (1727-1803) and Gottfried Benjamin Lessing (* December 12, 1735; † 1764) are also known.

Fonts (selection)

More extensive fonts

  • Diss. Vindiciae Reformationis Lutheranae a nonnullis praeiudiciis. Wittenberg 1717.
  • Strange house devotion, consisting of a prayer and four songs, at the time of the great Theurung (1719). Dresden 1720.
  • General memories of judging the possessed, ghosts, sorcery and witchcraft. (Without place of printing) 1720.
  • The right figure from the beginning of Christian faith and life in which the shortcomings of most catechetical books are shown. Leipzig 1724, Zwickau 1743.
  • The picture of a Protestant teacher; a parutation. Dresden 1725.
  • Proposals for two theological writings, the first of which is the rejection of unrepentant sinners from the use of salvation. Supper, the other: the undisturbed right of child discipline concerns… 1725.
  • Lutheri consolations to the Christians in Halle, about Georg Winkler's murder. Hall 1726.
  • Bicentennial memory of the first Evangelical sermon given at Easter in 1527; with a short history of the Reformation and a draft of a detailed history of his hometown Camenz. Leipzig 1724.
  • Impartial mischief over a song controversy raised in Budissin ... 1727.
  • Ingenious considerations of the worthy use of the Holy Communion, and the true means of enjoying it in a very salutary way / Formerly in French by a famous teacher [ie Daniel de Superville (the elder) ], but Nunmehro diligently translated into German for the sake of his excellence , and promoted to print by M. Johann Gottfried Leßing, Archi-Diacono in Camentz. Budißin: Richter 1728 ( digitized copy of the Göttingen University Library).
  • Johann Tillotson's foundation of the most noble truths for the knowledge and practice of active Christianity, in fifteen selected sermons - translated from English. With D. Marperger's preface. Dresden 1728.
  • Brief display of some of the shortcomings of the common Communion books. (Without place of printing) 1728.
  • Brief questions about rebirth and divine judgments of stubbornness ... 1728.
  • Historical religious talk about the strange history of the Augsburg Confession, on the occasion of the two-hundred-year-old Evangelical jubilee festival. Leipzig and Kamenz 1730.
  • Treatise of bitter and grim men as subtle women murderers. Leipzig and Kamenz 1731.
  • Thoughts from an annual public commemorative celebration of the delivery of the Augsburg Confession. Leipzig 1731.
  • Poetry about the love for the wounds of the crucified Jesus etc. Dresden 1731.
  • Joh. Tillotson's Rule of Faith - translated from English. Dresden 1731.
  • Joh. Tillotson's presentation of the doctrine and customs of the Roman Church; from English. Dresden 1732.
  • Funeral sermon on Sapient. 4, 13, 14. Kamenz 1732.
  • Funeral speech on the death of a father-in-law. of the PP u. M. Feller, about Phil, 3, 8 from the right Protestant preacher treasure. 1733.

Individual treatises

  • Disquisitio historica de confessione fidei, quam Protestantes Hispania eiecti a. 1539 Londini ediderunt; In: Analectis. Societ, Charitat. et Scientiar, T. II. p. 631-639.
  • Desiderata circa fratrum Moravorum historiam. In: Coleri Useful Notes p. 515.
  • Animadveria historica in Crypto-Socinianorum Collegia biblica. In: Coleri Continued Weimar Notes from Theol. Church u. Scholars-History B. 1. Samml. 1, p. 44.
  • Scriptural thoughts of the instant repentance. In: Coleri Continued Weimar Notes from Theol. Church u. Scholars-History B 1. Collection 2. P. 151.
  • Reflections on the questionable expression: from the spiritual death of Christ In: Coleri Continued Weimar notes from the Theol. Church u. Scholars history B. 1. Collection 3. P. 233.
  • Thoughts about the confession of the most distinguished scholars, about the weakness of the human understanding in the most important matters. In: Oberlausizische Beyträger B, 1st St. 30. pp. 465–472.
  • Thoughts about the Heyrath with fine depraved women, biological brother's daughter; In: Oberlausizische contributions B. 2. P. 401, 417 and 465.
  • Exegetical reflection on the words Amos 5, 26 and Acts of the Apostles. 7, 3; In the morning. Fruits from the collection of old people Neuen 1737, p. 77.
  • The respect for the Arndtic writings; In: Hessian Hebopfer. B. 3. p. 168.

literature

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Lessing, Johann Gottfried
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Lessing, Gottfried
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German Lutheran theologian
DATE OF BIRTH November 24, 1693
PLACE OF BIRTH Kamenz
DATE OF DEATH August 22, 1770
Place of death Kamenz