BERLAGE, ANTON

BERLANGE, ANTON. — German theologian of the 19th century, born in Münster on 21 Dec. 1805 and died there on 6 Dec. 1881. From 1824 to 1831 he studied theology successively at Münster, Bonn, Tübingen, and Munich. At Bonn he was a pupil of Georg Hermes and was somewhat influenced by his semi-rationalistic views. He freed himself from this influence, however, when he moved to the University of Tübingen and was able to attend the lectures of Professors G. Sebastian Drey, J. Baptist Hirscher, and J. Adam Möhler. Later, having deliberately examined Hermes’ doctrine, he judged it worthy of the Church’s condemnation. In 1831, having obtained his doctorate in theology from the University of Munich and still a subdeacon, he began teaching at the University of Münster, which he found in deplorable conditions. There he successively taught apologetics, dogmatics, symbolics, and moral theology. In 1843 he resumed the chair of dogmatic theology and held it for 40 years. He published various pamphlets and articles, but his principal works are: *Apologetik der Kirche* (Münster 1843) and *Katholische Dogmatik* (7 vols., ibid. 1839–64). The beneficial influence exerted by B. through his teaching and publications was considerable, especially at the University of Münster, which owes to him, in large part, its return to Catholic orthodoxy.