Friedrich Schleiermacher
'Father of Modern Liberal Theology', defining religion as the feeling of absolute dependence
Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher was a Reformed German theologian and philosopher celebrated as the 'Father of Modern Liberal Theology'. In *On Religion: Speeches to Its Cultured Despisers* (1799) and his systematic dogmatics *The Christian Faith* (Der christliche Glaube, 1821–1822), he relocated the essence of religion away from dry rationalistic dogma or moral duty into the affective sphere of intuition and immediate consciousness of God—the 'feeling of absolute dependence' (*schlechthinnige Abhängigkeit*).
Historical Context & Significance
A co-founder of the University of Berlin, Schleiermacher inaugurated modern hermeneutics and shaped 19th-century Protestant liberalism.
Genealogical Lineage & Splits
This movement or council is an early root foundation with no preceding parent split in the dataset.
Theological & Hermeneutical Coordinates
Primary Scripture Proof-Texts
Key biblical passages central to this tradition's exegesis and historical debates.
Connected Theological Perspectives & Debates
Universal Christian confession that God Almighty is the sole Creator of all things visible and invisible out of nothing (*creatio ex nihilo*).
Universal Christian confession that Holy Scripture is divinely inspired, supremely authoritative, and completely trustworthy for knowing God and receiving salvation.
Universal confession that Gentiles are grafted into the covenant promises through faith in Jesus Christ, the true Seed of Abraham.