Fifteen Sermons of Friedrich Schleiermacher Delivered to Celebrate the Beginning of a New Year: 23 (Schleiermacher Studies & Translations S.) - Tapa dura

Dr. Edwina Lawler has produced an accurate translation of 15 sermons delivered by Friedrich Schleiermacher to celebrate the beginning of a new year. She has also included translations of 4 sermons outlines. Of these, 12 are based upon New Testament and 7 upon Old Testament passages. Because these sermons were delivered over a 43-year period of time, one is able to get a glimpse of Schleiermacher at many stages along the way at a number of important historical junctures in German history, starting with the first New Year's Sermon in 1791when he was only a 22-year-old tutor in Schlobitten in East Prussia, until 1834 when, just a few weeks before his death at the age of 65, the master preacher and theologian Schleiermacher delivered his last sermon inaugurating the new year in Berlin. What is remarkable, though, is the consistency of his thought throughout. Lawler's translations are introduced by an analysis of his sermons within the framework of other writings dealing with similar themes: "To Cecilia", "On What Gives Value to Life", "Soliloquies" and "Christmas Eve - a Dialogue". The New Year sermons are then analyzed according to the following themes: self-improvement; childlike trust in God; fear of the Lord; wisdom; love; the force of love; pleasing another; Christ as teacher; and the reign of God. This work is aimed not only at specialists but also at the more general reader by having translated all German in her introduction into English. She has provided detailed annotations throughout as well as an analytical index, which includes biblical references. This book should be useful to scholars and preachers for years to come.

Edwina Lawler is Professor of German and Dean of Educational and Student Affairs at Drew University.