What is the foundation of liberal Protestantism? Wracked by doubt and challenged by questions raised by the Enlightenment, Friedrich Schleiermacher attempted to develop a system of theology that would free theology from shifts in philosophy. What he created was a theological system that replaced Scripture and the historical creeds with human experience and emotion. Schleiermacher, known as the Father of Liberal Theology, argued that the “essence of religion is the feeling of absolute dependence.” Jesus was unique, he said, because he was keenly aware of this utter dependence. It is the church’s job to live this utter dependence and communicate it with the world. The work of theology is to explore the experiences and feelings of living out this utter dependence. Theology, for Schleiermacher, should be descriptive, not prescriptive.
The Friedrich Schleiermacher Collection offers the core works of Schleiermacher’s theology. Jump to important and controversial passages using the powerful search tools in Logos Bible Software. Examine Kant’s influence on Schleiermacher’s theology by comparing them side by side. Important terms are linked with the rest of your library, so you can cross-reference with a click.
