Engelhardt Johann Georg Veit

Engelhardt Johann Georg Veit, a German theologian, was born at Neustadt on the Aich, November 12, 1791. After studying for three years at the University of Erlangen, and being for several years a tutor in two noble families, he was in 1817, appointed deacon at a church in Erllangen and professor at the gymnasium. In 1820 he became lecturer at the University of Erlangen, and obtained the degree of doctor of divinity; the next year he was advanced to an extraordinary, and in 1822 to an ordinary professorship at the university. The latter position lie retained until his death, September 13, 1855. For several years he held the office of university preacher, and five terms he was elected rector of the university. From 1846 to 1848 he was deputy of the university in the Bavarian diet. The king of Bavaria conferred upon him the title of ecclesiastical councillor and the order of St. Michael, and the city of Erlangen the right of honorary citizenship. In the history of theological literature, Engelhardt has secured a lasting place by his manuals of Church history and history of doctrines (Handbuch der Kirchengeschichte, 4 volumes, Erlangen, 1833-34; Dogmengeschichte, 2 volumes, Neustadt, 1839). He gave special attention to the study of the history of mystic theology. His intention to write a comprehensive history of this theology he did not find time to carry out, but he wrote a number of separate articles on the subject. Among the most important of this class of his works are those on Dionysius Areopagita (Dissertatio de Dionysio plotinizante, Erlangen, 1820; De origine scriptorum Areopagiticorum, Erlang. 1823; Die angebl. Schriften des Areopagiten Dionysius, ubersetzt u. mit Abhandlungen begleitet, Erlang. 1823, 2 volumes); on Plotinus (Plotin's Enneaden, ubersetzt u. mit Anmerkungen, part 1, Erlangen, 1820, incomplete); on Richard of St. Victor and Ruysbroek (Rich. von St. Victor u. Joh. Ruysbroek, Erlang. 1838). Several other works on kindred topics are preserved in MS. in the library of the Erlangen University. Next to mystic theology, the study of the Church fathers was one of his favorite occupations, to which we owe a work on patristics (Leitfaden zu Vorlesungen uber Patristik, Erlang. 1823). He also left in MS. a complete translation of Irenaeus. A biographical sketch of Engelhardt is given in the funeral sermon by his colleague, professor Thomasius (Erlang. 1855). See Herzog, Real-Encyklop. 19:479.