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History, theology of
(2,215 words)

1. Definition

The term theology of history is a polemical creation of the first third of the 20th century. As a war cry, it had at least three thrusts:

1) It was directed against the claim of the philosophy of history (History, philosophy of) to enjoy interpretive priority in understanding the totality of history as something determined exclusively by human actions. By contrast the theology of history reintroduced God as subject and Lord of histor…

Cite this page
Sommer, Andreas Urs, “History, theology of”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 26 September 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_020035>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20180915



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