challenge, opposing many traditional views, especially concerning the relation of Melanchthon to the later Lutheran orthodoxy. Yet in general the opponents, rather than the defenders, of the Lutheran confessional position will have cause to be dissatisfied with the results of these certainly brilliant and suggestive researches of the Göttingen theologian. There are also in these numbers two articles by Adolf Harnack on the second Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians; a critical review by him and by W. Möller in Kiel, of the previous year's monographs on early church history, down to the time of Charlemagne; a learned archaeological and patristic study by F. Piper on "The History of the Church Fathers from Epigraphic Sources"; and two articles by W. Gass, "General Considerations as to the Value and Effect of the Historical Sense," and "On the History of Ethics (Vincent of Beauvais and the Speculum Morale).” These, by their scientific, earnest, and objective bearing, are enough to dispel the fear that historical researches will here be pursued in a spirit akin to that of the Tübingen school. The undertaking is in any case supported by men of good ability, and promises to afford scientific theology much thankworthy assistance.

Deutsch-Evangelische Blätter.

=

In the course of the past year still another journal came into existence, edited by the Halle theologians Willibald Beyschlag and A. Wolters the Deutsch-Evangelische Blätter, July to December, 1876. Six numbers, Berlin, Rauh; 3 Mark $0.75 per quarter). It calls itself a "journal for the whole sphere of German Protestantism," but instead of the variety one might expect from this statement, it rather displays a quite narrowly limited partisan tendency. At least, in the articles treating of church politics, with which must be reckoned the " Church Chronicle" given at the close of each number, there plainly appears the endeavor to further the action of the so-called "Passage-Fraction" in the sphere of Prussian synodal life. The popular scientific and apologetic treatises of the Old Catholic Church," wherein he left Baur to a certain degree. In 1853 he became extraordinary professor. In the second edition of his invaluable book in 1857, he cut Baur's company still more completely, and Baur dismissed him summarily when visited by him. In 1860 he became ordinary professor, and in 1864 he was called to Göttingen, where he now is. Ritschl plies systematic theology, and has, as he says himself, left the field of early church history. His book on the early church needs a new edition, and it were much to be wished that he would hand over the title to Professor Harnack, and let him rewrite the work. - TR.

1 The "Passage-Fraction" was a section or fraction of the Vermittlungs or mediating party in the Prussian general synod. They sympathized with the Oberkirchenrath ("Upper Church Council "), in Berlin. The name was derived from the fact that they held their meetings or caucuses in a place, restaurant, hall or what not, called the "Passage."-TR.

appeal to the interests of a wider circle. The six monthly numbers which have thus far appeared offer several such articles of good material and of general interest; for example: "A Visit to the Roman Catacombs," by Preacher Dryander in Bonn; "Israel's Exodus and the Later Egyptian Researches," by Division-Pastor1 Brandt; "Spiritual Relationship of the Monists and Socialists," by Superintendent Trümpelmann. This element of the journal, opposing itself to modern unbelief, has already in different ways excited the wrath of organs, such as the "Protestantische Kirchenzeitung," which go more towards the left. Should this element continue to receive the prominence due to it, we might rejoice at having the journal as an ally. Yet it is to be feared that in times of future church conflicts its anti-orthodox polemics may experience a considerable addition in severity. Nothing else could be expected from the long list of contributors, who almost without exception belong to the absorptive-union school.

Jahrbücher für protestantische Theologie.

Two theological organs date from the year, 1874; one from the end, the other from the beginning, of that year, and are accordingly entering, respectively, on their third and fourth years. They have thus sufficiently proved their capacity of life and their security in the favor of the circles reading them.

The "Annual for Protestant Theology," the Jahrbücher für protestantische Theologie (4 numbers; Leipzig, Barth; 15 Mark= $3.75), turns more strongly towards the left, and is pervaded to a higher degree than any of the journals yet considered by the "keen air-currents of the world's history," to use Rothe's phrase. It was founded by Professors Hase, Lipsius, Otto Pfleiderer, and E. Schrader, who at that time all belonged to Jena. Half of them have since been transferred to Berlin. The title-page gives as among its contributors members of the theological faculties at Berne, Bonn, Giessen, Heidelberg, Jena, Kiel, Leyden, Strassburg, Vienna, and Zürich, and other notable scholars. Nevertheless, the whole review bears prevailingly the Jena type. Lipsius, especially, the leading business editor, has to a certain degree stamped upon it his own peculiar mental character, although thus far only a few, and those not very extensive, articles directly from him have appeared in it. The preponderatingly negative tendency of the views presented is characterized especially in the exegetical-critical, as well as in the religious-philosophical and the dogmatical essays.

In exegetical criticism we find, Nöldeke: "On the Criticism of the Pentateuch"; Studer: "On the Integrity of the Book of Job" (one of

1 Division-Pastor is the military chaplain of a division. - TR.

3 Pfleiderer and Schrader are now in Berlin. Otto is to be distinguished

the most radical attempts at cutting a book to pieces that has ever appeared in this sphere); Holsten: "The Epistle to the Philippians" (an attempt to renew Baur's objections to the apostolic authenticity of the epistle, of the most tiresome diffusiveness, and yet without the least demonstrative power); Hagge: "The Two Traditional Epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Church at Corinth" (a re-shaping of Hausrath's hypothesis concerning the so-called "Four Chapter Epistle," 2 Cor. x.-xiii.);1 Holtzmann: "Review of the Department of New Testament Criticism"; and Lipsius: "Peter not in Rome." In the sphere of religious philosophy and dogmatics appear, Pfleiderer: "On the Question as to the Beginning and Development of Religion"; Holtzmann: "Review of the Religious Philosophical Research of the Present Day"; Lipsius: "Schleiermacher's Discourses upon Religion"; Biedermann: "Strauss and his Importance for Theology"; Hermann Schultz: "The Protestant Doctrine of the Invisible Church"; A. Pierson: "On Kahnis's Systematic Theology (Dogmatik)." These last essays are followed up by a few apologetical and polemical articles directed against the modern natural philosophical unbelief.

There is, for example, a very good article by Superintendent Trümpelmann, named above as a contributor to the "Deutsch-Evangelische Blätter"; it is called "Darwinism, Monistic Natural Philosophy, and Christianity." The stand-point of this anti-materialistic critic is, at any rate, that of a Christian theism, if not a strictly church stand-point. A younger man, the new Jena Privatdocent in theology, Licentiate Pünjer, treats of the same theme in his academic inaugural address, in the first number for 1877, but only thinks it necessary to oppose the most extreme form of the doctrine of development or descendence, as it is found imprinted in Häckel's writings. On the other hand, as for Darwinism as such, including the assumption of the descent of man from beasts, he holds that this theory, "with its exclusion of all miracles and the declaration of a purely natural course of events, does not in the least stand opposed

1 Schürer refers to this article of Hagge's in the Theologische Literaturzeitung, March 17, 1877, col. 130, in the following terms: "With an enviable confidence in the range of his own critical sagacity, the author is not only able to prove that our two Epistles to the Corinthians are patched together in a motley way out of various larger and smaller fragments of genuine epistles, but also understands how to reconstruct from these fragments the original form of the genuine epistles. For example, the second epistle according to his view consists of the following pieces of our first and second epistles: 1 Cor. i. 1-3; i. 9-iv. 15; iv. 21; 2 Cor. x. 1-xi. 4; 1 Cor. xv. ; 2 Cor. xi. 5, 6; 1 Cor. ix. 1-18; 2 Cor. xi. 7-xii. 21; 1 Cor. v., vi. ; 2 Cor. xiii. 1-10; 1 Cor. xvi. 22, 23. In comparison with this complicated scheme, in fact, all artificial plans which have hitherto been brought to light in the realm of biblical criticism are very models of simplicity. Glancing at it, one can scarcely avoid the thought that it is written only to work into the hands of those who despise biblical criticism. At any rate, whether the intention or not, this is the result."-TR.

to Christian religion and morality." The most substantial articles belong to the field of historical research,—to the general religious-historical field, as, for example, Schrader: "Semitism and Babylonianism,” and “Assyrian-Biblical Matters"; and to the field of the history of the church and of doctrine, as H. Schultz: "Origen's Christology, in connection with his View of the Universe "; Fr. Nitzsch: "The Causes of the Change in and the New Upgrowth of Scholasticism in the Thirteenth Century," and "The Historical Importance of the Aufklärungs Theology" (the theology of the latter part of the eighteenth century, the time of the movement for general enlightenment or Aufklärung); Karl Alfred Hase: "Bernhardin Ochino of Siena,” and “The Trial and Martyrdom of Pietro Carnesecchi.” In these fields above all, or perhaps, indeed, only in them, can useful results be expected from the further productions of this journal.

The "General Journal for Missions," the " Allgemeine Missions-Zeitschrift" (12 numbers; Gütersloh, Bertelsmann; gr. 8vo.; 7 Mark = $1.874), started out at the very beginning of the year 1874. It is edited by Dr. G. Warneck, pastor at Rothenschirmbach, near Eisleben, with the assistance of Professor Theodor Christlieb of Bonn, and of Pastor R. Grumdemann of Mörz. Of all the newest issues here discussed in the sphere of theological journalism, this one has doubtless the most speedily secured for itself a large circle of readers, and begun to exert a not unimportant influence, which we may rightly hope will be fraught with blessing both for missionary interests and for the wider sphere of all scientifically educated friends and furtherers of the cause of missions.

We may note that this deserves to be called the first organ for the really scientific treatment of the more important questions concerning missions the first journal for "the science of missions," in the sense intended by the late Graul in his day. At the same time, the editors have thus far succeeded in happily avoiding the danger of losing themselves in abstract learned discussions, or in technical details not appreciated by readers who are out of the missionary circle. In order to satisfy the practical needs, and to assist in the edification, of such readers as take but an indirect interest in the problems of the science of missions, the journal has since last year widened its previous repertoire by a supplement, which meets these needs with its views of missions, its brief edifying paragraphs, and the like.

It will not be necessary to say much about the older reviews. Their general peculiarities are known. We need only give a brief report as to their bearing during the last few years and as to their present condition.

Zeitschrift für wissenschaftliche Theologie.

The "Journal for Scientific Theology" belongs chiefly to the negative critical party. It has been edited by Professor Adolf Hilgenfeld in Jena

since 1858 (Zeitschrift für wissenschaftliche Theologie, four numbers a year, Leipzig, Fues; 12 Mark = $3.00), and contains partly essays, partly criticisms. Entering on life as the continuation of Baur and Zeller's "Theological Annual," Theologische Jahrbücher, this quarterly at first served chiefly, or almost exclusively, as the organ only of the younger shoots of the new Tübingen school. Of late, however, scholars of a more positive leaning have more frequently than before taken part in contributing to it. In consequence of this, its earlier monotonous uniformity of researches in the criticism of the Gospels, or concerning JewishChristian apocryphal and pseudepigraphic literature, has yielded to a greater variety of material. Besides, the review has in general assumed a more conservative character.

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Studien und Kritiken.

Now, as formerly, the majority of the theologians who use the "Theological Studies and Criticisms' as their scientific organ belong to the decidedly unionistic party (Theologische Studien und Kritiken, 4 numbers a year; Gotha, F. A. Perthes; 15 Mark = $3.75). This quarterly, still very influential, and especially respected in foreign lands, was founded at the instance of the well-known Hamburg (later Gotha) publisher, Friedrich Perthes, in 1828, under the editorial care of Ullmann and Umbreit. Hence it will have to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary next year. Since Dr. Riehm assumed the editorship, in 1865, practically, though not avowedly, the theological faculty at Halle has become its chief editor or patron. The spirit and tone now ruling in it is especially determined by the younger ordinary 1 members of this faculty, namely, the real editors, Dr. E. Riehm and Dr. J. Köstlin, with Dr. Willibald Beyschlag, who is very active. Since 1860, particularly since the starting of Schenkel's "General Church Journal," Allgemeine Kirchliche Zeitschrift, theologians of the party leaning more to the left have hardly contributed anything to the Studien und Kritiken; the representatives of the confessional school have always been but chance contributors. For the sake of the imposing wealth of thoroughly learned treatises and detailed reviews which they have published since the beginning of their activity, we venture to suggest to the editors and the publishers that the issue of a single index-volume of the complete contents, which would remove the need of the former occasional and partial indexes, would be an especially worthy and practical way of celebrating the coming semi-centennial occasion.

Jahrbücher für deutsche Theologie.

The "Annual for German Theology" was founded in 1856 by three Göttingen and three Tübingen theologians, Liebner, Dorner, Ehrenfeuch

1 It will be remembered that the "ordinary" professors are the full professors. Below them stand the extraordinary professors, and lower still the privatdocenten, which last may be termed professors on trial. — TR.