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Hollaz, David

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A German Lutheran divine, was born at Wulkow, near Stargard, in 1648. He studied at Wittenberg, and became successively pastor of Putzerkin, near Stargard, in 1670, co-rector of Stargard in 1680, rector and preacher of Colberg, and, finally, provost and pastor of Jakobshagen. He died in 1713. Aside from minor productions on different subjects, as sermons, etc., he wrote a work on dogmatics, which was long in great favor. It is entitled Examen theologicum acroamaticum universam theologiam thetico- polemicam complectens (1707, 4to; reprinted in 1717, 1722, 1725, 1735, and 1741; and, with additions and corrections, by R. Teller in 1750 and 1763). The popularity enjoyed by this work was not so much due to its scientific originality, for it was mainly based on the works of Gerhard, Calov, Scherzer, etc., as to its convenient arrangement, the clearness and precision of its definitions, and the careful and thorough classification of its contents. Another, and perhaps still more powerful cause of- its success is to be found in its liberal spirit, coupled with unimpeachable orthodoxy. Hollaz occupies the first place among the Lutheran theologians of the close of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century. He sought to find a medium between the orthodox scholastic divinity and the wants of practical religion, and endeavored to reconcile ecclesiastical orthodoxy with freedom of thought. See Ernesti, Neue Theol. 5, 185; Walch, Bibl. Theol. 1, 62; Ersch und Gruber, Ally. Encyklopadie; Herzog, Real — Encyklop. 6, 240; Hagenbach, Hist. of Doctr. 2, 263, 264, 339; Gass, Geschichte d. Dogmat. 2, 495 sq.; Kurtz, Church. Hist. 2, 245; Schrö ckh, Kirchengesch. s. d. Ref. 7, 16 sq.; Dorner, Gesch. d. Dogmat. p. 430 sq.