Katechetischer Text, oder Unterricht vom christlichen Lehrbegrif für Unstudirte

The Library of Neology presents ten central, self-contained texts or collections that mark the core corpus of German Enlightenment theology in a critical hybrid edition. The selection was guided by the representative significance of the authors, the interdisciplinary relevance and generic diversity of the texts, the exemplary treatment of a central issue of the Enlightenment, and the intellectual and cultural-historical importance of these works. The diplomatically accurate text, including all variants of different editions, is supplemented by a concise introduction, explanatory notes, and comprehensive indexes.
Johann Gottlieb Töllner (1724-1774), alongside his student Steinbart, was the most important representative of Enlightenment theology in Frankfurt/Oder. His "Katechetischer Text, oder Unterricht im christlichen Lehrbegriff für Unstudirte" was intended to convey his theological convictions in a popular-scientific form to a non-academic readership. Instead of the specialized terminology still common in textbooks of the time, Töllner consistently used clear and accessible language. The text offers a panorama of central Neological positions, emphasizing, for example, the beneficial function of religion for human happiness. The basic ideas are presented in clearly structured paragraphs combining a main text to be learned with supplementary knowledge. Töllner's work was widely used as a textbook in Prussian schools.