VENEMA, ve-n5'mii, HERMANNUS (HARM):
Dutch Reformed; b. at Wildervank (14 m. s.e. of
Groningen), Holland, 1697; d. at Leeuwarden May
25, 1787. He was educated at Groningen (1711-14)
and Franeker (1714-18), and in 1719 became pas
tor at Dronrijp near Franeker. On the death of the
younger Vitringa Venema was appointed to succeed
him at Franeker, and this position he held until his
retirement in 1774. Yenema was especially distin
guished as an Old-Testament exegete, his chief
work being his
Comrnentarius in Psalmos
(6 vols., Leeuwarden, 1762-66); while among his writings
on the prophets special mention may be made of
his
Dissertationes ad vaticinict Danielis emblematica
(1745); his commentary on Jeremiah (2 vols.,
1765);
Sermones vice commentarii ad librum pro
phetiarum Zachari,ce (1787); his commentary on
Malachi (1788); and his lectures on Ezekiel (ed. J.
K. Verschuir, 1790). Of importance also for the
period was his
Institutiones historice ecclesiasticce
Veteris ac Novi Testamenti
(7 vols., Leyden, 1777 1783), in which he showed himself an impartial
student of original sources.
Venema was independent in theology, construct
ing his system on the two bases of reason and the
Bible. There is an Eng, transl. of his
Inedited In stitutes of Theology
(Edinburgh, 1850). He was deemed the leader of the tolerants, and was the
only Dutch professor to defend the Mennonite Jan
Stinstra when the latter was charged with Socinian
ism. Venema was himself suspected of heretical
tendencies, and was obliged to defend his orthodoxy
in his
Korte verdedigung van sync eere en leere
(Leeu warden, 1735) and
Justa cum viro clarissimo An
tonio Driessenio expostulatio
(Franeker, 1736); and the charges being renewed, he was again forced to
write in his own defense
Exercitationes de Christi
very divinitate (Leeuwarden, 1755), by which he se
cured immunity from further attack.
(S. D. Van Veen.)
Bibliography:
The Elogium by J. H. Verschuir was pub
lished at Franeker, 1787, in Dutch transl. by J. Bakker,
as LoJrede op Herman Venema,
Amsterdam, 1801. Con sult: B. Glasius,
Godgeleerd Nederland, iii. 489 196,
Bois le-Duc, 1851-5f3; C. Sepp,
J. Stinatra en zijn tijd,
Amster dam, 1885; W. B. S. Boeles, Frieslands Hoogeschool en
hat Rijks Athenaeum to Franeker, ii. 399-407,
Leeuwarden, 1889.
