STOLZ, ANSELM. - Benedictine theologian, b. 28 Jan. 1900 at Erkrath (near Düsseldorf), d. in Rome on 19 Oct. 1942.
A professor at the abbey of St Joseph (Gerleve) in Westphalia, he studied theology at Sant’Anselmo in Rome, where he returned in 1928 as professor of dogmatic theology. He distinguished himself by an uncommon sensitivity at the time to the pressing theological issues emerging around 1930. He perceived the need to strike a better balance between speculative metaphysical elaboration and the vital, spiritual anthropological value of Revelation, and this led him, in the various dogmatic, ascetical and mystical questions he addressed, to give greater prominence than usual to certain patristic themes toward which he felt a particular affinity. In general, he strove to economize on theological method. His premature death prevented him from attaining full maturity of thought.
His principal works are: *Manuale theologiae dogmaticae*, Freiburg im Br. 1939–41 (unfinished; only *Introductio in sacram theologiam*, *De S.ma Trinitate*, *Anthropologia theologica* and *De Ecclesia* appeared); *Glaubensglaube und Glaubenslicht nach Thoma von Aquin* (Rome 1939); *Anselm von Canterbury* (Munich 1937); *Die Theologie der Mystik* (Regensburg 1936; Italian trans. Brescia 1941); *L’ascesi cristiana* (ibid. 1943).
**