Abstract

The subtitle of this dissertation raises the expectation that at last here is a study which will offer up the “key” to Schleiermacher’s thought. Given the widely differing assessments of Schleiermacher, ranging from those who see him as a betrayer of theology à la Feuerbach, to those who see him as a pioneer in theological reconstruction from whom much is yet to be learned, it is clear that such a “key” to Schleiermacher’s thought would be very desirable. Moreover, given Schleiermacher’s focus on theology as an account of religious consciousness, it seems promising to look for the “key” in his theory of consciousness. Many English speaking scholars will be interested that the place where Keller-Wentorf has chosen to look for the key is one of the most difficult and incomplete texts of Schleiermacher, namely his ethics, or as we would say today, his social theory and philosophy of history. To drain this bog of its intellectual treasures might indeed shed important light on Schleiermacher’s concept of consciousness. Unfortunately, the key to Schleiermacher has not been found: What Keller-Wentorf serves up instead is merely one more key to be added to the already rather heavy key ring containing keys which have been tried and found not to work.