Wislicenus, Gustav Adolf

Wislicenus, Gustav Adolf a liberal Protestant theologian of Germany, was born November 20, 1803, at Battaune, near Eilenburg. He studied at Halle, and while yet a student was sentenced, in 1824, to prison for twelve years on account of demagogical intrigues. Having been pardoned after five years' imprisonment, he resumed his studies at Berlin: in 1829, in 1834 was appointed pastor near Querfurt, and in 1841 was called to Halle. Having become a member of the "friends of light," he lectured in their behalf on May 29, 1844, at Kothen. Professor Guericke, then at Halle, denounced him before the ecclesiastical authorities, in consequence of which Wislicenus published his Ob Schrift? Ob Geist? (Leipsic; 4th ed. 1845). In 1846 Wislicenus was deposed of his office, and wrote Die Amtsentsetzung (ibid. 1846). He now preached to a congregation of so-called "free members" at Halle, and after the publication of Die Bibel im Lichte der Bildung unserer Zeit (Magdeburg and Lubeck, 1853), he left for America, and lectured in New York in 1854. At Hoboken he founded an academy, which he left, in 1856, for Switzerland, where he also founded an academy at Zurich. He soon retired for literary pursuits to Fluntern, where he died, October 14, 1875. Besides the publications mentioned already, he wrote, Nachrichten uber die freie Gemeinde in Halle (Halle, 1847): — Beitrage zur Forderung der Religion der Menschlichkeit (ibid. 1850): — Aus Amerika (Leipsic, 1854): — Die Bibel fur denkende Leser (ibid. 1863-64, 2 volumes; 2d ed. 1866): —Entweder — Oder (Zurich, 1868): — Gegenwart und Zukunft der Religion (Leipsic, 1873). See Zuchold, Bibl. Theol. 2:1459 sq.; Theologisches Universal-lexikon, s.v.; Literarischer Handweiser, 1875, page 433. (B.P.)