Augusti Johann Christian Wilhelm

Augusti Johann Christian Wilhelm a German theologian, was born 27th of October, 1772, at Eschenberg, near Gotha, where his father was pastor. He was educated in the gymnasium of Gotha and at the University of Jena, where, under Griesbach, he devoted himself to theology and philology. In 1798 he began teaching at Jena. In 1800 he was made professor extraordinary, and in 1803 he succeeded Ilgen in the chair of Oriental literature, which he exchanged in 1807 for that of theology. In 1812 he accepted the chair of theology in the University of Breslau, in addition to which he was honored with a seat in the consistory of the province of Silesia. His influence upon the University of Breslau, and upon all the educational establishments of Silesia, was very great. At the time when the French marched into Russia, Augusti was rector of the university, and it was owing to his intrepidity and patriotic spirit that the property of the university was saved. In 1819 he was appointed professor of theology in the newly-established University of Bonn, and received the title of councillor of the Consistory at Cologne. In 1828 he was appointed director of the Consistory of Coblenz. Notwithstanding his numerous duties, he still continued his lectures in the university until his death, 28th April, 1841. Augusti was one of the most voluminous theological writers of Germany. He was originally led by the influence of Griesbach to join the critical or philosophical school of theology, but this did not suit his natural bias, which was more inclined to maintain things as they are than to speculative investigations; and during the last forty years of his life he was a zealous, although not a bigoted advocate of the established form of religion. In doctrine he may be considered an orthodox Lutheran. His writings, most of which are of a historical or archaeological nature, are useful as works of reference, but they are deficient in elegance and simplicity of form, and contain more evidence of learning and industry than of the true spirit of a historian. The most important of all his works is the Denkwiirdigkeiten acs der christlichen Archaologie (12 vols. 8vo, Leipz. 1817-1831), which he subsequently condensed into the Handbuch d. christl. Archaologie (Leipz. 1837, 3 vols, 8vo). Among his other works are Lehrbuch d. christl. Dogmengeschichte (Leipz. 1835, 4th ed. 8vo); Beitrige z. christl. Kunstgeschichte u. Liturgik (Leipz. 1841-46, 2 vols. 8vo); Einleitung in das alte Testament (Leipz. last ed. 1827); System der christl. Dogmatik (Leipz. last ed. 1826); Corpus librorum symbol. ecclesice reform. (Elberf, 1827). — English Cyclopcedia; Herzog, Real- Encyklop. Supplem. 1:123.