HENGSTENBERG, ERNST WILHELM: German Protestant exegete; b. at Frondenberg (a village of Westphalia, near Hamm, 22 m. n.n.w. of Arnsberg) Oct. 20, 1802; d. at Berlin May 28, 1869. He was a descendant of an old Westphalian patrician fam ily of Dortmund, one in which the tradition of service in the ministry was very persistent. His health did not permit attendance at a public school, but he received so excellent a training from his father, who was a Lutheran clergyman of supranaturalistic views, that in 1819 he found himself qualified to enter the newly founded University of Bonn. Destined from early child hood for a theological career, he prepared him self by a thorough grounding in philology and philosophy. He studied Old Testament exegesis and church history under Freytag and Gieseler, passed through a complete course in classical phi lology, gave particular attention to the Aristotelian philosophy, but above all devoted himself to the study of Arabic. The results of his philosophical studies were embodied in a German translation of the metaphysics of Aristotle (Bonn, 1824), and of his Arabic studies in an edition of the moallaxah of Amru'l'Kais (Bonn, 1823), with the latter of which he obtained his doctorate. He was unable to enter on a course in theology on account of lack of means so, through the recommendation of Freytag, he became assistant to Sthhelin at Basel, taking part there in the latter's Oriental investigations. The leisure there enjoyed gave him opportunity for serious study of the Scriptures. Finding his theological views to be in accord with the Augsburg Confession, he decided to enter the Lutheran communion. In 1824 he His Work went to Berlin as privat-docent, and in Berlin. in the following year took his bacca laureate in theology. His thesis em bodied a defense of the truth of Protestantism and an earnest criticism of the rationalistic position, especially on Old Testament problems. As head of the seminar of Old Testament studies his activity and his reputation continued to increase, while as guide and counselor of the students who gathered around him he exercised a profound and beneficent influence that was inferior only to that of Tholuck, his lifelong friend. Other of his friends were August

Neander, Friedrich Strauss, Theremin, and many of the younger clergymen of Berlin. His connection with these men and the growing vigor of his orthodoxy brought upon Hengstenberg the dislike of the authorities. In order to remove him from the sphere of his influence, the minister Von Altenstein repeatedly attempted to transfer him to another university under the guise of promotion, which attempts were frustrated by Hengstenberg's refusal to accept the offers made. In July, 1827, he became editor of the Evangelische Kirchenzeitung, a medium through which he, was to exercise a far wider and deeper influence on the religious life of his age than through his strictly academic labors.

Once convinced that his proper field lay in the career then opened for him, Hengstenberg entered with vigor on a task that he was to His carry on under great discouragement

Contest for forty-two years. No man of our against time has been exposed to more oppo-

Rationalism.

sition and enmity, ridicule and slander, open and secret denunciation than the editor , of the Bvangelische Kirchenwitung. "The opinion of the world during the last forty years has associated with Hengstenberg's name all that it finds condemnatory in the revival of a former faith-Pietism, a dead orthodoxy, obscurantism, fanaticism, Jesuitism, sympathy with every influence for retrogression" (Kahnis). Moreover, charges which were mutually contradictory were filed against him. To the impartial student these accusations will appear no more justified than to blame the policy of the Kirchenzeatu»g in Changing its views and its attitude on many important ecclesiastical questions. That publication would never have accomplished its purpose as organ of the Evangelical Church if it had not accommodated its policy to the progress of religious development. However vacillating its position may have been on particular issues, Hengstenberg's organ remained steadfast in the pursuit of its great mission-the combating of the rationalistic spirit. It was not content to assail rationalism as an abstract system, but attacked its tendencies in whatever individual form it manifested itself, in concrete localities, personalities, and publications. Its quarrel was with all who assailed or denied the divinity of the Savior, exalted matter and the flesh, or paid undue worship to the human reason. Against error in its. manifold forms it upheld the standard that the Church of all ages has upheld against error and recusancy-the word of God and the creed of the Church.

Of Hengstenberg's writings the Christologie des Alten Testaments (Berlin, 1829-35; Eng. transl., The Christology of the Odd Testament,

Writings. 4 vols., Edinburgh, 1854-58) contains his first contribution to the development of the theology of the older law. His avowed purpose was to create a line of defense against those who denied prophecy and miracle and to restore the Old Testament to its ancient and well founded rights. The Kommentar über die Psalmen (4 vols., Berlin, 1842-47; Eng. transl., 3 vols., Edinburgh, 1845-48) adopts the methods of in terpretation employed in the ancient Church and

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during the period of the Reformation. Minor exegetical works are Geschichte Bileams und seine Weiasagungen (Berlin, 1842), Hohelied Salbmonis (Berlin, 1853), Prediger Salomo (Berlin, 1858; Eng. transl., Commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes, to which are appended Treatises on the Song of Solomon, the Book of Job, the Prophet Isaiah, the Saerir fices of Holy Scripture, the Jews and the Christian Church, Edinburgh, 1860), and Weisabgungen des Propheten Ezechiels (Berlin, 1867-68; Eng. transl., The Prophecies of Ezekiel, Edinburgh, 1869)., Allied with his studies in the Hebrew prophets axe the Offenbarung des heiligen Johannes (2 vols., Berlin, 1849-51; Eng. transl., The Revelation. of St. John, 2 vols., Edinburgh, 1851-52), and Evangelium des healigen Johannes (Berlin, 1861-64; Eng. transl., Commentary on . . . John, 2 vols., Edinburgh, 1865). His Beiträge zur Einkitung ins Alts Testament (Berlin, 1831; Eng. transl., Genuineness of the Pentateuch, 2 vols., Edinburgh, 1847; Genuineness of Daniel and Integrity of Zechariah, ib. 1848) examine critically the prophecies of Zechariah and Daniel and maintain the authenticity of the Pentateuch. Other writings are Geschichte des Reichm Gotten unter dem Aken Bunde (2 vols., Berlin, 1869-71; Eng. transl., History of the Kingdom of God under the Old Testament, 2 vols., Edinburgh, 1871 72), Ueber den Tag des Herrn (Berlin, 1852; Eng. transl., The Lord's Day, Edinburgh, 1853), and Die Opfer der heiligen Schrift (Berlin, 1859). His Egypt and the Books of Moses appeared in Eng. transl., Edinburgh, 1843.

(J. Bachmann†.)

Bibliography: J. Bachmann, Hengstenbov, win Leben and Wirken, 2 vols., Gütersloh, 1876-79. An impartial estimate is given by J. E. J6rg, Gewhiohte des Protestantismus, i. 22, Freiburg, 1858. Adverse judgments are given in D. Schuls, Die Wesen and Treiben der Berliner Rvanpdischen Kirchenaeitung, Breslau, 1839; A. Maller, ,Henystenberg und die Evangeliade Kirchenasitung, Berlin, 1857; F. Nippold, Neueete Kirchengeschichte, v. 391 sqq., Leipsic, 1906; F. C. Baur, Kirrhengeschichte des 19. JahrL hunderts, pp. 228 sqq., Tübingen, 1862. Appreciative are: F. Delitaseh, Die biblisch-prophetische Tloeologie und ihre . . . Entwickelung seit der Christologis HenpStenUrge, pp. 164 sqq Leipsic, 1845; P. Schaff, many, its Universities, Theology and Religion, pp. 3oo-32o, Phiiadelphis, 1857; K. F. A. Kahnie, Zeupnis roan den Grund_ wahrheiten des Proteetantienaus pagan Dr. Henpatenberp, Leipsic, 1862.