RITSCHL, richl, Albrecht, German theo logian: b. Berlin, 25 March d. Gottingen, 20 March 1889. He studied at the universities of Bonn, Halle, Heidelberg and Tubingen, qualified at Bonn as a lecturer in 1846, became extraordinary professor of theology there in 1852 and ordinary professor in 1859. In 1864 he accepted a call to the corresponding chair at Gottingen. From 1874 he was a consistorial councillor. In his early thesis, 'Das Evangelium Marcions und das kanonische Evamielitun des Lukas' (1846), he adopted the position of his master, F. C. Baur, but in the first edition (1850) of his 'Entstehung der altkatholischen Kirche' ((Origin of the Early Catholic Church') he showed signs of divergence, and the pubhcation of the second edition of the lat ter work in 1857 marked his complete severance from the Tubingen school. His chief subse quent works are (De Ira DeP (1859) ; christliche Lehre von der Rechtfertigung und der Versohnung' ((The Christian Doctrine of Justification and the Atonement,' 3 vols.. 1870 74), his chief work; (Schleiermachees Reden fiber die Religion und ihre Nachwirkungen auf die evangelische Kirche Deutschlands' (1874) ; 'Die christliche Volkommenheie Perfection,' 1874) • 'Unterricht in der christli chen Religion> (1825; 5th ed., 1895) ; te des Pietismus) (1880-86) • (Theoloee und Metaphysil0 (1::1) ; 'Drei akademische Reden' (1887) •, 'Fides Implicita) (1890) ; and 'Gesam melte Aufsitze) ((Collected Essays,' 1893 and 18%). Ritschl founded a school of theology still of much importance both in Germany and in other countries. Starting from a subjective
theory of cognition, based upon the philos ophy of Kant as developed in Lotze, he sought to eliminate the whole metaphysical element from religion. He was thus led to reject such doctrines as original sin, the Trinity, the incarnation, whether historic or mystical, and the whole of natural theology, as of no religious value, and he denied the pre-existence and miraculous birth of Jesus. He laid stress upon the historical character of Christianity, but held free views of inspiration and admitted the most advanced criticism. His view of the atone ment was essentially the same as the 'moral in fluence' theory of liberal theologians.
Bibliography.— Brown, A. W. 'The Es sence of Christianity' (1902) ,• Denney, J., 'Studies in Theology' (1894) ; Ecke, G., 'Die Theologische Schule Ritschls, A.' (1897-1904); Edghill, E. A., 'Faith and Fact' (1910) ; Garvie, A. E., 'The Ritschlian Theology' (1902) ; Mielke, G., 'Das System Albrecht RitschP (1894) ; Mozley, J. R., (Ritschlianis& (1909) ; Orr, J., 'The Ritschlian Theology and the Evangelical Faith' (1899) ; Pfleiderer, 'The Development of Theology in Germany since Kant' (1890; German ed., enlarged, 'Die Ritschlsche Theologie kritisch beleuchtet> (1891) ; Ritsch, 0., of RitschP (1892-96) ; Schoen, 'Les origins his toriques de la theologie de RitschP (1893); Swing, A. T., 'The Theology of Albrecht RitschP (1901).