BERLAGE, ANTON. - German theologian of the 19th century, b. at Münster in Westphalia on 21 Dec. 1805 and d. there on 6 Dec. 1881. From 1824 to 1831 he studied theology successively at Münster, Bonn, Tübingen and Munich. At Bonn he had George Hermes as a teacher and was somewhat influenced by his semi-rationalism. He freed himself from it, however, when, having moved to the University of Tübingen, he was able to hear the professors J. Sebastian Drey, J. Baptist Hirscher and J. Adam Möhler. Later, indeed, having examined Hermes's doctrine on purpose, he judged it worthy of the Church's condemnation. In 1831 he obtained a doctorate in theology at the University of Munich and, still a subdeacon, began his teaching at the University of Münster, which he found in deplorable conditions. There he taught successively apologetics, dogmatics, symbolics and moral theology. In 1843 he took up the chair of dogmatic theology and held it for 40 years. He published various pamphlets and articles, but the principal works are: Apologetik der Kirche (Münster 1843) and Katholische Dogmatik (7 vols., ibid. 1839-64). The beneficial influence exercised 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.
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Egidio Caggiano