Goldhagen, Hermann

GOLDHAGEN, HERMANN. - Jesuit, philologist and exegete, b. in Mainz on 14 April 1718, d. in Munich on 28 April 1794. He first taught classical literature at Mannheim and Mainz (1746-56), then exegesis (1756-64), subsequently devoting himself to the publication of apologetic and scriptural works in refutation of the rampant errors of the theists and the Enlightenment thinkers. After the suppression of the Society of Jesus, he was a court councillor at Mainz and then at Munich.

Leaving aside numerous school texts, written in elegant Latin, the following should be mentioned: Hodegus Biblicus, sive nova methodus S. Bibliam intra annum, cum fructu legendi, horae quadrante quot diebus impenso (Mainz 1763); Introductio in S. Scripturam (3 vols., ibid. 1765-68); Vindiciae harmonico-criticae in S. Scripturam (2 vols., ibid. 1774-75). On ascetics he composed: Amseisung zu der hochsichtigen Andacht zum beiliegten Herzen J. C. (St. Gallen 1767); Grundlehren des Christenthums (Mainz 1771). He also published the bimonthly periodical: Religions-Journal (1776-94), a collection of pieces by various writers in defence of Christianity, with commentaries; continued from 1797 to 1804 by others, under the title Journal der Religion, Wahrheit u. Literatur.