ZIMMER, PATRITIUS BENEDICTUS. - Theologian, b. 22 Feb. 1752 at Abtsgmünd (Württemberg), d. 16 Oct. 1820 at Landshut.
Ordained priest in 1775, he held the chair of dogmatic theology at the University of Dillingen (1783–95), then at that of Ingolstadt (1788–1800); when this University was transferred to Landshut, he taught exegesis, patrology, and the history of literature there. He was elected rector magnificus in 1819.
SALTERIO (v.), with whom he shared gentleness of spirit and strength of intellect, and endowed with excellent teaching abilities, he succeeded in winning the unconditional affection of his numerous pupils, who had his chair restored to him three times. Indeed, in his desire to renew ecclesiastical scholarship, he allowed himself to be carried along by the current of the new German philosophy (Fichte and Schelling), and consequently drew harsh criticism and strong opposition from Catholic circles.
His principal works are: Dissertatio dogmatica de vera et completa potestate ecclesiastica illiusque subiecto (Dillingen 1784), in which he maintains the subordination of the Church to the State; Theologiae christ. theoreticae systema (ibid. 1787); Theologia christ. dogmatica (2 vols., Vienna 1789–90); Fides existentiae Dei (ibid. 1791); Theologiae christianae specialis (4 vols., Landshut 1802–1806): these dogmatic works are not free from defects arising from the author’s philosophical bent. He wrote other notable works, in German, on original sin and on the Revelation of the Old Testament.