Mosheim, JOHANN LORENZ VON

Mosheim, JOHANN LORENZ VON, a distinguished church historian of Germany, was born at Lübeck on 9th October 1694, studied at Kiel, became in 1723 professor of Theology at Helmstedt, in 1747 at Göttingen, as well as Chancellor of the University. Here he died, 9th September 1755. His theological works are numerous, amongst which are a work on Bible morality and Heilige Reden. But his most important work belonged to the department of church history, his Institutiones Historiæ Ecclesiasticæ (1726; improved ed. 1755) being familiar to every student as a work of great learning and accuracy. Its author is, in Gibbon's phrase, 'full, rational, correct, and moderate.' It has been translated from the original very elegant Latin into English and other languages. The best English translation is that by Dr James Murdock (3 vols. New York, 1832). Other works were Institutiones Historiæ Christianæ Majores (1763); De Rebus Christianorum ante Constantinum Commentariū (1753); Dissertationes ad Historiam Ecclesiasticam pertinentes (2 vols. new ed. 1767); and a Ketzergeschichte (2 vols. 1746-48). Mosheim's standpoint is that of liberal orthodoxy; and his greatest work remains a monument of erudition and insight from the point of view of the impartial observer.