I. History of the Science. — In form, this branch of science is modern. When theology as a sci- ence was in its infancy, theological encyclopedia as science was impossible. But at an early period helps for students were prepared. Such were the treatise by Chrysostom, De Sacerdotio, the Be offidis ministrorum of Ambrosius, De doctrina Christiana of Au- gustine, and a work of the same kind as the latter, De discipUrM scholarium, attributed to Boethius (f 525), but probably written after his time. Cassiodorus (f 562) VfToto De Instiiutiuve Divinaruni Literurtwi, an introduc- tion to the profitable studj' of Scripture, for the use of monks. In tlie 7th centurj' Isidor of Seville wrote a larger work, a kind of general encyclopedia, wherein he also treats of theology, Onffinum sive Etymoloyiaruni libr. XX, but it is more in the sliape of pastoral theolo- gy, as is the De institiitione clericorum of Rabanus Mau- rus in the 9th centurJ^ The latter contains, however (vol. iii), a sketch of the diflferent branches of informa- tion necessar}' to a minister. The Didascalion (erudltio diduscalica) of Hugo of St. Victor (f 1141) conies hearer to the character of a theological encyclopedia — its 1st, 2d, and 3d books treating on the preparatory studies, and the others, 4th to 6th, on the exposition of Scrip- ture and the study of the fathers (Liebner, Hugo v. St. Victor, p. 9G). In the 13th century, Vincent of Beau- vais (f 1264), in his Speculum doctrinale, gave a scien- tific exposition of several subjects, including theology. After these we find the writings of Nicolas of Cle- nianges {De studio theologico, d'Achery, i, 473), and Jean Charlier Gerson {De reformatione theolorjice, and Episto- lie duce ad studentes CoUegii Navarrce Pansiends, quid et qualiter studere debeat nevus theologim auditor).
But the real origin of theological encyclopedia is to he found in the time when tlie Keformation, in the 16th centur)', breaking through the bonds of scholas- tic divinity, brought in a new era for science, particu- larly for theology. Erasmus first led the wa}' in the new direction by his Ratio s. methodus compendio per- veniendi ad veram theologiam (1519-1522), giving to theological studies a solid pliilosophical foundation, promoting the study of the Scriptures, and requiring from tlie theologian a knowledge of natural sciences. In the Lutheran Church \vc first find JMelancthon giv- ing a short guide to theological studies iu his Brevis
ratio discendce Theobgue (0pp., Bas. 1541, iii, 287). This was followed bj' a work of his pupil, Tlieobald Thamer, Ad ho J-tatio ad theologim studium in acude^niu Marhurgensi, 1543. After these we find the Oratio de studio theol. recte inchoando, 1577, and Reguhp. studio- rum seu de ratione discendi in prcecipuis artihus recte instituenda (Lips. 1565), both by David Chytriius ; the Consilium de theologice studio recte cunstituendo (Nuremb, 1565), by Hieronymus Weller, the pupil and friend of Luther; the systematic Methodtis studii theologi^i pub- licis prcelectionibus in academia Jenensi a. 1617 exposita (1620, 1622, 1654), by John Gerhard ; as also the works of Jacob Andreie, De Stud. Sacr. Litt. (Lips. 1567); Nicholas Selnecker (Notatio de Stud. Theologiie (Lips. 1579) ; and Abr. Calov {fsagoge ad Theologiam). First in the list of encyclopedic works of the Rffornied Church stands Bullinger's Ratio studii theologici, and the latter part of Conrad Gessner's Pandectarum uni- versalium liber idtimus. But more important than ei- ther of those is the work of Andreas Gerhard of Ypern (Hyperius), professor at Marburg (f 1564), Theologus, seu de ratione studii theologiti (Basel, 1572, 1582), in wliicli we find a first attempt to arrange the matter of the Encyclopedia, dividing it into different depart- ments, exegetical, dogmatical, historical, and practical, though the exact limits of each were not yet well de- fined. The writers on dogmatics often prefixed an -en- cyclopedic essay to their works, as did J. H. Alsted in his Methodus sacrosanctw Thcokgiie (Hanov. 1623), which contains two prefatory books on the study of theology. From the school of Saumur came Steph. Gaussin's Dissertationes de studii theologici I'atione, etc. (1678, 6th ed., by Eambach, Hal. 1726). Calixtus (f 1656) wrote a copious Apparatus Theohgicus (Helmst., edited by his son, 1661) ; and Spener (f 1705) gave acute advice and discriminations in several of his writ- ings.
The term encyclopedia, in its present meaning, we find for the first time in the title of a work by the Re- formed theologian S.Mursinna,Pri;?}(B lineo} Encyclo- p.EDi.E THEOLOGICE (Hal. Magd. 1764; 2d ed. 1794). But this, like all the works heretofore mentioned, has now only a historical interest. Herder's Brvfe ii. d. Studium d. Theologie (1785, 4 vols.) is, on the other hand, even now of value in tliis field. A new era in the history of theological encyclopedia was inavigurated by Schleiermacher in his Darstellung d. theohgischen Stu- diums z. Behufe einleitender ]'orl€sungen (Berlin, 1811); but the full eff'ect of the book was not felt until its 2d edition appeared in 18.30, although Bertholdt {Theol. Wissenschaftskunde, Erlangen, 1821, 2 vols.), Francke {Theol. Encyclopcedie, 1819), and Danz {Encyclopiedie und Metkodologie, Wein. 1832) had been stimulated and guided by Schleiermaclier's remarkable sketch. The powerful grasp of the whole science, and the lumi- nous statement of the relations of all the parts, given bj' Schleiermacher, give his Darstellung the foremost place in this branch of science. (There is an English translation by Farrar, not very well done, under the title Briff Outline of the Study of Theology, Edinb. 1850, 12ino). Its practical fault lies in the divisions made of the whole Science (see below). It was fol- lowed by Hagenbach's Encyclopcedie u. Methodologie d. Theol. Wissenschafien (Leips. 1833, 8vo), a work of great practical value, which has maintained its posi- tion as the most useful manual on the subject (7th edition, Leips. 1864, 8vo). The Encyclopadie d. theol. Wissenschafien of K. Rosenkranz (Halle, 1845) is thor- oughly speculative and Hegelian. Harless's Enry- clopddie u. Methodologie (Nurnb. 1837) is a Lutheran work, and is really valuable for its historical sketch of the development of theolog}' and for its copious liter- ature. The Anleitung z. Studium d. christl. Theohgie of Lobegott Lange (Jena, 1841) advocates Biblical ra- tionalism. Pelt's Theologische Encyclojuldie (Hamb. 1843, 8vo) follows Schleiermacher's method closely, but is a thorough and scholarly work, careful in state-