RETABULBM. See ALTAR, III., 1, b, c.

RETTBERG, ret'barH, FRIEDRICH WILHELM: German Lutheran; b. at Celle (22 m. n.n.e. of Hanover) Aug. 21, 1805; d. at Marburg Apr. 7, 1849. He was educated at the University of Göttingen (1824-27; Ph.D., 1829), and after teaching at the gymnasium of his native city from 1827-30 went to Göttingen as lecturer in theology, where he was associate professor (1834-38), and assistant pastor at the Jakobikirche after 1833. In 1838 he was called to Marburg as full professor of theology and retained this position until his death. His most important writings are those on church history, beginning with a monograph on the life and work of Cyprian (Göttingen, 1831), and continuing with a volume treating of the papal history of the thirteenth century to carry on J. E. C. Schmidt's Handbuch der christlichen Kirchengeschichte (Giessen, 1834). Rettberg's chief work, however, was his Kirchengeschichte Deutschlands (2 vols., Göttingen, 1846-48), extending from the earliest period to the death of Charlemagne. He was also the author of an apologetic monograph Ueber die Heilslehren des Chrestentums nach den Grundsätzen der evangelischlutherischen Kirche (Leipsic, 1838), and of the posthumous Religtonsphilosophie (Marburg, 1850).

(J. A. WAGENMANN†.)

BIBLIOGRAPHY: The funeral sermon by E. Henke contains an account of Rettberg's writings and services to the University of Marburg, and the same writer wrote the Necrolog in Kasselsche Zeitung, no. 15, 1849, and issued an appreciation in Latin, Marburg, 1849. Consult also O. Gerland, Hessische Gelehrten-, Schriftsteller- und Küsteler, Geschichte, i. 108 sqq., Cassel, 1883.

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 evangelorum 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

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Church 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).

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