Solomon Formstecher

Solomon Formstecher

Solomon Formstecher (1808-1889) was a German rabbi and student of Jewish theology.

Formstecher was born at Offenbach July 28, 1808. After graduating (Ph.D. 1831) from the Giessen University, he settled in his native city as preacher, succeeding Rabbi Metz in 1842; he filled this office until his death on April 24, 1889. During his long ministry he strove to harmonize the religious and social life of the Jews with the requirements of modern civilization. His aims were expressed at Brunswick, Frankfurt, Breslau, and Kassel in the conferences of the German rabbis. The most important of his works is "Religion des Geistes" ("Religion of the Spirit," Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1841). It contains a systematic analysis of the principles of Judaism. The author endeavors to demonstrate that Judaism was a necessary manifestation, and that its evolution tends in the direction of a universal religion for civilized mankind. Judaism, in contrast with paganism, considers the Divinity to be a Being separate from nature, and allows no doubt of God's existence. Consequently any theogony, any emanation, any dualism must be rejected. Formstecher concludes his work with a history of Judaism which is a valuable contribution to Jewish religious philosophy.

Formstecher's other works are:
*"Zwölf Predigten," Würzburg, 1833
*"Israelitisches Andachtsbüchlein zur Erweiterung und Ausbildung der Ersten Religiösen Gefühle und Begriffe," Offenbach, 1836
*"Mosaische Religionslehre," Giessen, 1860
*"Buchenstein und Cohnberg," a novel, Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1863
*"Israel's Klage und Israel's Trost," Offenbach, 1835
*"Ueber das Wesen und über den Fortgang der Israelitischen Gottesverehrung"

Formstecher contributed to many periodicals, and edited in 1859, in collaboration with L. Stein, the periodical "Der Freitagabend," and in 1861, with K. Klein, the "Israelitische Wochenschrift."

Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography

*Meyer Kayserling, "Bibliothek Jüdischer Kanzelredner", ii. 137
*JewishEncyclopedia


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • FORMSTECHER, SOLOMON — (1808–1889), German philosopher and rabbi. Formstecher was born in Offenbach. He studied philosophy, philology and theology at the University of Giesen, and served as the rabbi of the Offenbach community from 1842 until his death. He took an… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Formstecher, Solomon — ▪ German philosopher born July 28, 1808, Offenbach, Hesse [Germany] died April 24, 1889, Offenbach       Jewish idealist philosopher who was rabbi at Offenbach from 1842. Die Religion des Geistes (1841; “The Religion of the Spirit”) is considered …   Universalium

  • Formstecher, Solomon — (1808 89)    German philos opher and rabbi. He was born in Offenbach and served as rabbi there from 1842. He was active in the Reform movement and edited Der Freitagabend and Die Israelitische Wochenschrift. His Die Religion des Geistes presents… …   Dictionary of Jewish Biography

  • PHILOSOPHY, JEWISH — This article is arranged according to the following outline: WHAT IS JEWISH PHILOSOPHY? recent histories of jewish philosophy biblical and rabbinic antecedents bible rabbinic literature hellenistic jewish philosophy philo of alexandria biblical… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Judaism — /jooh dee iz euhm, day , deuh /, n. 1. the monotheistic religion of the Jews, having its ethical, ceremonial, and legal foundation in the precepts of the Old Testament and in the teachings and commentaries of the rabbis as found chiefly in the… …   Universalium

  • GOD — IN THE BIBLE The Bible is not a single book, but a collection of volumes composed by different authors living in various countries over a period of more than a millennium. In these circumstances, divergencies of emphasis (cf. Kings with… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • ARTICLES OF FAITH — ARTICLES OF FAITH. The term dogma which is well defined in Christianity has as such no place in Judaism. In Judaism the need for a profession of belief did not arise and rabbinic synods saw no necessity for drawing up concise formulas expressing… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • GOD, NAMES OF — Various Hebrew terms are used for God in the Bible. Some of these are employed in both the generic and specific sense; others are used only as the personal name of the God of Israel. Most of these terms were employed also by the Canaanites, to… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • NATURE — Though the Bible is full of the awareness and appreciation of nature from the creation narrative up to the Psalmist s declaration, The heavens declare the glory of God… (Ps. 19:2), it does not profess a comprehensive doctrine of nature in… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • HASKALAH — (Heb. הַשְׂכָּלָה), Hebrew term for the Enlightenment movement and ideology which began within Jewish society in the 1770s. An adherent of Haskalah became known as a maskil (pl. maskilim). The movement continued to be influential and spread, with …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”