Schleiermacher Unit
Art and Religion in Schleiermacher’s Thought
While Friedrich Schleiermacher’s place in early German Romanticism is well-established, his original contributions to aesthetics, and the close interconnections of art with religion in his writings, have received significantly less attention in English-language scholarship. Following upon the recent critical edition of Schleiermacher’s writings on aesthetics (De Gruyter, 2021), this session invites papers reflecting on Schleiermacher’s distinctive understanding of art and aesthetics, and the various points of connection between his reflections on aesthetics and his broader thinking. Suitable proposal topics may cover a wide range, and might include themes such as the following: Schleiermacher’s theory of art, as developed in lectures on aesthetics; “religion as art” (Kunstreligion); reflections on the role of artistic expression in the Speeches, Christmas Eve Dialogue, and Christian Faith; Schleiermacher’s understanding of art in the context of early German Romanticism; the relation of aesthetics and anthropology; the role of artistic forms in worship or preaching; or artistic expression and affectivity.
The unit promotes scholarship – from specialists and non-specialists alike – that critically engage the thought and influence of Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834). We encourage constructive, historical, and textual analyses that open new lines of inquiry into Schleiermacher’s oeuvre and contribution to contemporary discussions in theology, religious studies, philosophy, ethics, and hermeneutics.