THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
expositions, he plainly states his views, making God the Father the first person of the Holy Trinity; one chief Son of the most high God, with only a human nature, though our God by reason of his divine sovereignty over us, yet subordinate to the most high God, the second person; and one principal minister of God and Christ the third. Next came another tract (eighty-six pages) containing alleged testimonies in favor of his views from the Fathers. In 1648 Parliament, at the instigation of the Westminster divines, made denial of the Trinity a capital offense, yet Biddle was not only not put to death, but in 1649 was released on bail. He became a chaplain and preacher in Staffordshire, but was shortly recalled and remained in prison till Feb., 1651. On his release he publicly advocated his views and continued his publications with A Two-fold Catechism ; the one simply called a Scripture Catechism ; the other a brief Scripture Catechism for Children (1654, the first of 141 small pages, the second of thirty-four, both with a preface). The answers, being entirely in quoted Scripture, could not be gainsaid, but the questions were open to serious criticism. Consequently he was examined by the House of Commons and committed to prison on Dec. 3, 1654, and was not released till May 28, 1655. The Catechism was burned by the common hangman Dec. 14, 1654. Again publicly advocating his beliefs on July 3, 1655, he was thrown into prison and a little later was tried for his life on the ordinance above mentioned. Cromwell, unwilling to put him to death, banished him to the Scilly Islands (Oct. 5, 1655), and allowed him 100 crowns a year for maintenance. In 1658 he was released, and resumed preaching. In the latter part of Aug., 1662, he was again imprisoned and after five weeks died.
Bibliography: The principal source of information respecting Biddle is the Life by Joshua Toulmin, London, 1789, which analyzes all his writings, including several translations not mentioned above. There are earlier accounts, such as J. Bidelli Vita, by J. Farrington, ib. 1682, and A Short Account of the Life of John Biddle, ib. 1691. Consult also A. a Wood, Athence Oxonienses, ed. P. P Bliss, iii, 593-603, 4 vols., ib. 1813-20; J. H. Allen, Historical Sketch of the Unitarian Movement, pp. 131-135, New York, 1894; DNB, v, 13-16. Some additional information is in Walter Lloyd's Bicentenary of Barton Street Dissenting Meeting House, Gloucester, pp. 40-50, Gloucester, 1899.
BIEDERMANN, bi'der-man, ALOIS EMANUEL:
Swiss Protestant; b. near Bendlikon, on the west shore of the Lake of Zurich (4 m. from the city), Mar. 2, 1819; d. at Zurich Jan. 25, 1885. He studied at Basel 1837-39, and then at Berlin; became pastor at Monchenstein (3 m. s. of Basel) 1843; professor extraordinary at Zurich 1850, ordinary 1860, where he lectured at first upon theological encyclopedia and New Testament introduction, later chiefly upon dogmatic theology He was the leading theologian of the neo-Hegelians, and was deeply influenced by the Tubingen school, especially by Strauss. He was a prolific writer for the religious press, but obtained his greatest repute by his Christliche Dogmatik (Zurich, 1869; 2d ed., Berlin, 1884-85, vol. ii edited by Rehmke), in which he denies the historicity of the Gospels, yet holds to the eternal ideas which the supposed facts of the Gospels embody; denies Christian
doetrine, but advocates Christian practise; denies personality to God and personal immortality to man, yet holds that love to God and man constitutes the essence of religion. He took a deep interest in education and public affairs, preached often and by preference to small and weak congregations, and was tactful and courteous in his associations with men of all classes; he was a lover of athletics and a robust mountain-climber. Many of his briefer publications were collected under the title Ausgewdhlte Vortrdge und Aufsatze, with a biographical introduction by J. Kradolfer (Berlin, 1885).
Bibliography: For further notes on Biedermann's life consult J. J. Oeri, Persbnliche Erinnerungen an Biedermann, in Kirchenblatt fur die reformierte Schweiz, 1886, nos. 7— 18. On his theology and philosophy consult O. Pfleiderer, Religionsphilosophie, i, 594, Berlin, 1883; idem, in Preussische Jahrbilcher, Jan., 1886, pp. 53—76; T. Moosherr, A. E. Biedermann nach seiner allgemeinen philosophischen Stellung, Jena, 1893.
BIEL, bil, GABRIEL: One of the most remarkable theologians of the late Middle Ages; b. at Speyer; d. at Tubingen 1495. He studied at Heidelberg, became preacher at St. Martin's Church at Mainz, provost of Urach in Wurttemberg, and after 1484 professor of theology and philosophy in the newly founded University of Tubingen. In his old age he joined the Brethren of the Common Life (see Common Life, Brethren of the). In theology Biel followed the nominalism of Occam (q.v.), whose system he reproduced in his Epitome et collectorium ex Occamo super quattuor libros sententiarum (Tubingen, 1495). In anthropology and soteriology he was a Semi-Pelagian, teaching that " merit depends on man's free will and God's grace" (sermo xiv, 7); the sacraments operate not only ex opere operantis, but also ex opere operato " (Sent., IV, i, 3). The Church, therefore, was for him a mechanically operating sacramental institution; in its priests he glorifies a "mighty dignity." In questions affecting the constitution of the Church, Biel took the position assumed by the councils of Constance and Basel. As a preacher he surpassed his predecessors in the practicality of his views; his knowledge of political economy also deserves recognition. Besides the work already noticed, he wrote Lectura super canonem missce (Reutlingen, 1488); Expositio canonis missce (Tubingen, 1499); Sermones (1499); and other works.
Paul Tschackert.
Bibliography: F. X. Linsenmann, Gabriel Biel der letztx Scholastiker und der Nominalismus, in Tiibinger theolcgische Quartalschrift, 1865, pp. 449 sqq.; idem, in KL, ii, 804-808; A. Ritschl, Die christliche Lehre von der Rechtfertigung und Versohnung, i, 102 sqq., Bonn, 1SS9; H. Plitt, Gabriel Biel als Prediger, Erlangen, 1879; Schultz, Der sittliche Begriff des Verdienstes, in TSK, 1894, pp. 304 sqq.
BIERLING, bi'ar-ling, ERNST RUDOLF: German Protestant jurist; b. at Zittau (49 m. s.e. of Dresden) Jan. 7, 1841. He was educated at the universities of Leipsic (1859-63) and Gottingen (1864-65), and after being a lawyer in his native city in 1868-71 was privat-docent at Gottingen for two years. Since 1873 he has been professor of canon and criminal law at Greifswald. In addition to being a member of the Pomeranian provincial synod in 1878-99 and of the general synod in 1875