History

Ernst Friesenhahn (1901-1984) was one of the first judges of the Federal Constitutional Court. Max Stötzel pays tribute to the life and work of this underestimated jurist, who experienced three constitutional upheavals and made a significant contribution to the establishment of the rule of law in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Gotthold E. Lessing's literary work reveals a profound theological dimension. Especially in his early writings, the pastor's son engages critically and intensely with Christianity. Christian anthropology however is, as Steffen Götze's analysis shows, a cornerstone of Lessing's literary oeuvre.

This textbook examines a dilemma that is likely well known to many in theology but has rarely been addressed: the issue of »normative judgments,« that is, the many argumentative assessments of what is to be evaluated positively or negatively in theological topics as well as in theological approaches.

Alyssa Lehr Evans examines how Andreas Bodenstein von Karlstadt, a central player in the development of the Reformation in Wittenberg, became and continued to self-consciously develop as a reformer. She shows how Karlstadt's reading and reception of Augustine played a pivotal role in his development and approaches understanding Karlstadt by considering fundamental issues of authority and interpretation.