Valentin Ernst Löscher was a German orthodox Lutheran theologian.
Background
At the University of Wittenberg, where his father was professor of theology, he gave his attention mainly to philology and history, but out of respect to his father"s wish he selected a theological subject for his master"s dissertation, in which he opposed the Pietistic position.
Career
Subsequent study at Jena aroused his interest in church history. During travels undertaken at this time he formed the acquaintance of a number of influential anti-Pietistic theologians. After serving as superintendent at Jüterbog (1698-1701) and Delitzsch (1701-1707) and professor of theology at Wittenberg (1707-1709), he became pastor of the Kreuzkirche and superintendent in Dresden.
Here he remained the rest of his life.
His practical duties here turned his attention more particularly to the needs of the Church. He at once took earnest measures to encourage a deeper spiritual life in the Church.
He had already begun the publication of his Unschuldige Nachrichten von alten und neuen theologischen Sachen (Wittenberg and Leipzig, 1701 sqq), the first theological periodical. The comprehensive scope and able management of the magazine gave it great importance.
The work inspired a bitter reply from his Pietistic opponents, which called forth from Löscher his greatest work, Vollständiger Timotheus Verinus (2 parts, Wittenberg, 1718-1722 Engineer transl, The Complete Timotheus Verinus 1998, Northwestern Publishing House).
The importance of Löscher"s part in the Pietistic controversy was not fully recognized until the return to Evangelical doctrine in the nineteenth century.