Walafrid Strabo

Background

He was born about 808 in Swabia.

Education

He was educated at the monastery of Reichenau, near Constance, where he had for his teachers Tatto and Wettin, to whose visions he devotes one of his poems.

Then he went on to Fulda, where he studied for some time under Hrabanus Maurus before returning to Reichenau, of which monastery he was made abbot in 838.

Career

There is a story-based, however, on no good evidence-that Walafrid devoted himself so closely to letters as to neglect the duties of his office, owing to which he was expelled from his house; but, from his own verses, it seems that the real cause of his flight to Spires was that, notwithstanding the fact that he had been tutor to Charles the Bald, he espoused the side of his elder brother Lothair on the death cf Louis the Pious in 840.

He was, however, restored to his monastery in 842, and died on the 18th of August 849, on an embassy to his former pupil. His epitaph was written by Hrabanus Maurus, whose elegiacs praise him for being the faithful guardian of his monastery. Walafrid Strabo's works are theological, historical and poetical. Of his theological works the most famous is the great exegetical compilation which, under the name of Glosa ordinaria or the Glosa, remained for some 500 years the most widespread and important quarry of medieval biblical science, and even survived the Reformation, passing into numerous editions as late as the 17th century (see Hist, litteraire de la France, t. v. p. 59 ff. ).

The oldest known copy, in four folio volumes, of which the date and origin are unknown, but which is certainly almost entirely Walafrid's work, gives us his method. In the middle of the pages is the I. atin text of the Bible; in the margins are the "glosses", consisting of a very full collection of patristic excerpts in illustration and explanation of the text. There is also an exposition of the first twenty psalms (published by Pez in Anecdota nova, iv. ) and an epitome of rtrabanus Maurus's commentary on Leviticus.

An Expositio quatuor Evangeliorum is also ascribed to Walafrid. Of singular interest also is his De exordiis et increments rerum ecclesiasticarum, written between 840 and 842 and dedicated to Regenbert the librarian. It deals in 32 chapters with ecclesiastical usages, churches, altars, prayers, bells, pictures, baptism and the Holy Communion.

Incidentally he introduces into his explanations the current German expressions for the things he is treating of, with the apology that Solomon had Evangelisten, and in 1750 was appointed professor extraordinarius of theology. Five years later he became professor ordinarius of logic and metaphysics; in 1759. Be exchanged this for a professorship of rhetoric and poetry.

Amongst other theological works he published Dissertationes in Acta Apostolorum (1756 - 1761); Antiquitales symbolicae (1772); and after his death appeared Observationes in Matthaeum ex Graeeis inscriptionibus (1779).

He also published a periodical Der Naturforscher (1774- 1778), and during the years 1749-1756 took an active part in editing, the Zeitungen von gelehrten Sacken. See article in Allgemeine deutsche Biographie; also Lebens- gesckichte J. E. I. Walch Gena, 1880), and J. G. Meuscl's Lexikon der verstorbenen teutschen Schriftsteller, vol. xiv. Another son, Christian Wilhelm Franz (1726 - 1784), was educated at Jena under his father's direction, and as early as 1745-1747 lectured in the university in branches of exegesis, philosophy and history.

He then travelled with his brother, J. E. I. Walch, for a year in Holland, France, Switzerland and Italy. On his return he was in 1750 made professor extra- ordinarius of philosophy in Jena, but in 1753 he accepted an invitation to become professor ordinarius at Gottingen. Here in 1754 he became professor extraordinarius of theology, and three years later received an ordinary professorship.

He lectured on dogmatics, church history, ethics, polemics, natural theology, symbolics, the epistles of Paul, Christian antiquities, historical theological literature, ecclesiastical law and the fathers, and took an active interest in the work of the Gottinger Societal der Wissen- schaften.

He died on the 10th of March 1784.

Achievements

• In 1766 he was appointed professor primarius. His principal work was his Entwurf einer vollstandigen Historic der Ketzereien, Spaltungen, und Religionsstreitigkeiten, bis auf die Zeit der Reformation (11 vols. , Leipzig, 1762-1785). Of his other valuable works may be mentioned Geschichte der evangelisch-lutheri- schen Religion, als ein Beweis, dess sie die wahre set (1753), Entwurf einer vollstandigen Historic der romischen Papste (1756, 2nd ed. 1758; Eng. trans. 1759), Entwurf einer vollstandigen Historic der Kirchemersammlungen (1759), Grundsatze der Kirchengeschichte des Neuen Testaments (1761, 2nd cd. 1773, 3rd ed. 1792), Bibliotheca symbolica vetus (1770), Kritische Untersuchung vom Gcbrauch der heiligen Schrijt unter den alien Christen (1779), occasioned by the controversy between G. E. Lessing and J. M. Goeze, and to which Lessing began an elaborate reply just before his death.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Leben Des Heiligen Gallus Und Des Abtes Otmar Von Sanktgallen (German Edition)

    (This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)

  • On the Cultivation of Gardens

    (Cultural Writing. Gardening. Widely regarded as the first...)

  • HORTULUS OR THE LITTLE GARDEN.

    (First edition. Ransom pg. 426 . Printed in an edition lim...)

Views

His permanent place amongst learned theologians rests on his works on church history. Semler was much his superior in originality and boldness, and Mosheim in clearness, method and elegance. But to his wide, deep and accurate learning, to his conscientious and impartial examination of the facts and the authorities at first hand, and to " his exact quotation of the sources and works illustrating them, and careful discussion of the most minute details, " all succeeding historians are indebted. His method is critical and pragmatic, " pursuing everywhere the exact facts and the supposed causes of the outward changes of history, " leaving wholly out of sight the deeper moving principles and ideas which influence its course.

Connections

friends:

Einhard

Brother:

J. E. I. Walch