Bretschneider, Karl Gottlieb

BRETSCHNEIDER, bret´shnɑi´´der, KARL GOTTLIEB: German theologian; b. at Gersdorf (40 m. e. of Dresden), Saxony, Feb. 11, 1776; d. at Gotha Jan. 22, 1848; studied at Leipsic; appointed minister at Schneeberg, 1807, superintendent at Annaberg, 1808, and superintendent-general at Gotha, 1816. Ha was a prolific writer and took an active part in controversies. Among, his principal works may be mentioned: Lexicon manuale Græco-Latinum in libros Novi Testamenti (Leipsic, 1824; 3d ed., 1840); Systematische Entwickelung aller in der Dogmatik vorkommenden Begriffe (1805; 4th ed., 1841); Handbuch der Dogmatik (1814; 4th ed., 1838). He founded the series of reprints called the Corpus reformatorum (Halle, 1834 sqq.), in which the works of Melanchthon and Calvin have appeared, to which Zwingli will be added. His standpoint was that of the so-called rational supernaturalism—a rather untenable ground between rationalism and supernaturalism.

Bibliography: K. G. Bretschneider, Aus meinem Leben; Selbstbiographie, ed. H. Bretschneider (his son), Gotha, 1852.