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[German Version] from Greek εὐδαίμων/ eudaímōn, “happy.” Although the term sometimes occurs in the works of Aristotle (e.g. Eth. nic. 1127b18), he employs it in the sense of “considered happy.” Its conceptual usage goes back to I. Kant, who initially used it to denote the belief in a steady progress for the better ( Streit der Fakultäten, 1798, 7, 81; ET: The Contest of Faculties, 1991), but later to express an ethical view that happiness constitutes a motive of moral action ( Metaphysik der Sitten, 6, 377f.; ET: The Metaphysics of Morals, 1996). J.G. Fichte added the meaning of “happiness as the ultimate purpose of action” ( Appellation an das Publikum…, 1799, Gesamtausgabe I…

[German Version] I. History of the Concept – II. Current State of the Problem “Autonomy” (Gk αὐτονομία) refers to self-regulation, self-determination, self-normativity. Autonomy can designate the political independence of states, the self-dependence of individuals, or the internal authority of institutions. The theological problem concerns the relationship of the modern concept of autonomy to the human relationship with God. I. History of the Concept Αὐτόνομος/ autónomos in Herodotus means: “To behave according to one's own will.”…

[German Version] I. Theology The use of pleasure or enjoyment in a theological context began with Augustine of Hippo, who defined it as “amore alicui rei inhaerere propter seipsam” ( Doctr. chr. I 4.4; PL col. 20). The “res” is solely God, the highest good. The ethically telic uti (“use”) is subordinated to frui (“enjoyment”). Scholasticism followed Augustine but connected frui with the ultimus finis of humanity and secondarily with everything that occasions love of G…

[German Version] The word derives from the Greek ἡδονή/ hēdonḗ (“joy,” “pleasure,” “enjoyment”). It appeared in England after 1850 and was first used there in the sense of eudaimonism. Sidgwick (11875) introduced it into philosophy. In current English, hedonism denotes riotous living. In German usage, the word Hedonik first appeared in A. Schopenhauer ( Werke, vol. XI, 62, 1916). It denoted (with no negative connotation) the more cheerful enjoyment of life that was then co…

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[German Version] I. History – II. Systematics – III. Glaubenslehre (Doctrine of the Faith) I. History The term “dogmatics,” first used in the 17th century, refers to one of the oldest branches of theological endeavor: a coherent account of the content of the Christian proclamation, which in turn takes its orientation from the standard (“canonical”) paradigms of confession and proclamation. Other terms – “An exact exposition of the orthodox faith” (John of Damascus), “Sentences” (Peter Lombard), Summa Theologiae (Thomas Aquinas), Institutes of the Christian Religion (Calvin), L…

[German Version] I. Life – II. Church Historian – III. Systematic Theologian Jul 6, 1912, Berlin-Steglitz – Sep 30, 2001, Zollikerberg/Zürich), Protestant German theologian. …

[German Version] I. Dogmatics – II. Ethics I. Dogmatics …

[German Version] I. History of Religion – II. Jewish and Christian Antiquity – III. Middle Ages to Modern Times I. History of Religion Hypocrisy as a deliberate feigning of non-existent situations is a special case of concealment. F. Bacon made a distinction between a morally necessary silence and a passive secretiveness, and between both of these and active hypocrisy or pretence. As a sociologist, G. Simmel regarded non-disclosure as a necessary means for enabling social relationships. Here, social distance and pr…

[German Version] I. Religion – II. Philosophy – III. History of Theology and Dogmatics – IV. Ethics I. Religion Talk of happiness refers to a deeper level of experience than enjoying oneself or feeling good. Happiness denotes success in life; the pursuit of happiness is a universal element in human life and thought. The hope of happiness may take ritual forms, especial…

[German Version] I. History of Literature (Early Church) – II. Philosophy of Religion – III. Fundamental Theology – IV. Dogmatics – V. Ethics – VI. Ecumenism – VII. Dialogue and Mission I. History of Literature (Early Church) Dialogue, as a philosophical disputation with the objective of …