LOEN, lon, JOHANN MICHAEL VON: German statesman and author; b. at Frankfort-on-the-Main Dec. 21, 1694; d. at Lingen (38 m. w.n.w. of Oanabruck), Hanover, July 26, 1776. He began the study of law at Marburg in 1711, but removed to Halls in 1712, and finally settled at Frankfort in 1723. As a prolific, open-minded writer, he attracted considerable attention in the literary world, and gained the notice of Frederick the Great, who, in 1753, conferred on him the offices of Prussian privy councilor and administrative president of the County of Lingen and Tecklenburg, which he held until his death.
His copious writings, of historical, esthetic, literary, political, ethical, and religious range, were published under the title Gesammelte kleine Schriften (ed. J. E. Schneider, 4 vols., Frankfort, 1749- 1752). His standpoint is essentially that of the Enlightenment (q.v.), except that with him confessional indifferentism is still associated with a warm and genuine ethical religious interest. His aim of working in the cause of church union and a comprehensive type of Christianity expressed itself in his first work, the pseudonymous Evangelischer Friedenstampel, nach Art der ersten Kirche entwarfen (Frankfurt, 1724). He made a German translation of Fenelon's spiritual writings; while his personal association with Zinzendorf resulted in Der vernunftige Gottesdienst nach der leichten Lehrart des Heilandes (Frankfurt, 1738 and often). The work which made Loen's name best known, yet brought upon him the most numerous and vehement attacks, was Die einzige wahre Religion(Frankfort, 1750). In the first half he shows this to consist solely in faith in God through Christ, and in a correspondingly devout and virtuous life according to the eternal law of love. The second part treats of the ideal union in the outward details of Christian life. This remarkable book combines liberalizing thoughts with the principles of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, and blends rationalistic and pietistic ideas into its dream of one universalChristian Church.
CARL MIRBT.BIBLIOGRAPHY: J. C. Strodtmann, Das neus gelehrte Europa, ii. 520-570, x. 428-439, Wolfenbuttel, 1753-56; J. A. Trinius, Freydenker Lexikon, pp. 545-575; F. G. Meusel, Lexsikon der . . 1760-1800 verstorbenen teutschen Schriftsteller, viii. 324-329, Leipsic, 1808; E. Hoyden, in Archiv fur Frankfurts Geschichte und Kunst, iii. 1885), 534-562.>/p>
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