Aepinus, Franz Albert

Aepinus, Franz Albert, a Lutheran theologian of Germany, was born Nov. 15, 1673, at Wanzke, in the duchy of Mecklenburg. Having completed his studies at Jena and Rostock, he was appointed in 1696 nagister philosophice, and was placed at the head of the cathedral school at Ratzeburg in 1700. In 1712 he was called as professor of logic to Rostock; in 1721 he took the chair of theology, and died Feb. 14,.1750, as member of consistory and general superintendent. He wrote, Introductio in Philosophiam (1714; new ed. 1718), which comprises the whole system of sciences, as logic, metaphysics, physics, natural theology, ethics, and politics. He belonged to the strict Lutheran orthodoxy, and in his writings he shows himself the champion of. his Church. In his De Pietatis ad Christianismum Necessitudine (1728) and De Evangelio AEterno, he fights against pietism and chiliasm; and in his: Matceologice Fanaticce Compendium ex Dippelii Scriptis Collectum, etc. (1721), he battles against the doctrines.of the enthusiast J. C. Dippel. See Bergmann, Progr. Funebr. Memorice Monumentum (Rostock, 1750); Becker, Sacrum Exequiis F. A. Alpini (ibid. eod.); Schmerfahl, Nachrichten, ii, 136; Rostochium.'Litteratunm, p. 363; Frank, Gesch. d. prot. Theologie, ii, 239; Allgemeine deutsche Biographie, s.v. (B. P.)