SCHLATTER, ADOLF

Swiss Protestant theologian; b. Saint Gall, Switzerland, Aug. 16, 1852; d. Tübingen, Germany, May 19, 1938. Although the son of a Baptist minister who was drawn to pietism, Schlatter belonged, like his mother, to the Swiss Reformed Church. After theological studies at Basel and Tübingen, he held pastoral charges at Zürich and Kasswill-Uttwill, where his colleagues were supporters of theological liberalism and rationalism. He first taught New Testament at Bern (1880) and later, systematic theology at Griefswald (1888). In 1893 he was awarded the chair of theology at Berlin, where he became the friend and collaborator of Adolf von harnack. He transferred to Tübingen in 1898 as professor of New Testament, but he incorporated much theology and ethics in his courses. Schlatter presented his theology as a middle way between the Christomonism of late 19th-century Protestantism, especially as exemplified in the thought of Albrecht ritschl, and what he understood to be the Hellenic Christianity of Catholicism. Much of his scholarship was devoted to studying Hebraic ways of thought as they influenced Christianity, but he ultimately espoused a syncretism that embraced as valid all forms of Christianity. His thought and writings were very influential in the early years of the ecumenical movement, and anticipated Barthianism.

Bibliography: h. schlier, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner, 10 v. (2d, new ed. Freiburg 1957–65) 9:410. u. luck, Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, 7 v. (3rd ed. Tübingen 1957–65) 6:1420–21.

[m. b. schepers]