Albrecht Ritschl on Theology as System: Considering the Structure of Modern Theology

Abstract:Albrecht Ritschl (1822–1889) is a key representative of nineteenth-century German theology. As such, he is emphatic that dogmatics has to be presented in systematic form. This article will analyse in detail the meaning and significance of this demand in Ritschl's work. It will be shown that the systematic shape of theology was for Ritschl a wedge issue that permitted him to subject some individuals and traditions to a sharp critique while aligning himself with others. Among those singled out for criticism are Philipp Melanchthon and Friedrich Schleiermacher. Yet Schleiermacher, ironically, also emerges as perhaps the most important influence on Ritschl's concept of the theological system. The article will conclude with reflections on advantages and disadvantages of developing theology as a system in the tradition Ritschl represented and shaped.