Rettig, Christian Michael

RETTIG, HEINRICH CHRISTIAN MICHAEL: Protestant theologian; b. at Giessen July 30, 1799; d. at Zurich Mar. 24, 1836. He studied in his native city, became teacher at the gymnasium there and privat-docent at the university in 1833; and was called to the newly founded University of Zurich in 1833. His earliest writing was De tempore quo magi Bethlehemum venerint (Giessen, 1823). This was followed by De quatuor evangeliorum canonicorum origine (1824), discussions concerning the Fourth Gospel; next came some philosophical treatises dealing also with the Greek classics (1826–1828); Das erweislich älteste Zeugnis für die Echtheit der in den Kanon des Neuen Testaments aufgenommenen Apokalypse (Leipsic, 1829); and Quæstiones Philippenses (Giessen, 1831)—in all of which he displayed rationalistic leanings. But in his next book, though not bound by ecclesiastical orthodoxy, he appeared as a faithful adherent of Biblical teaching concerning Christ as the Son of God, Die freie protestantische Kirche oder die kirchlichen Verfasungsgrundsätze des Evangeliums (Giessen, 1832); in the first part of this he dealt with the relation of 498Church and State, arguing for the freedom of the Church; in the second part he worked out in detail a plan for a free organization. The work showed great originality, and he seems to have hoped that it would have as great influence upon the Church of his time as the counsel of Melanchthon had had in its time; he dedicated it to the princes and nobles of the two Hesses. After his call to Zurich he issued a facsimile of the Codex Sangallensis of the Gospels (Zurich, 1836).

(G. Krüger.)

Bibliography. K. W. Justi, Grundlage zu einer hessischen Gelehrten- . . . Geschichte, pp. 532–535, Marburg, 1831.