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Rating: 
Summary: not worth reading
Review: ... This book is a must read in order to understand the birth of liberal Protestant theology. Schleiermacher is a brilliant reaction to Kant's rational religion, with his theology of experience. One should read this in order to make sure your theology has heart.However, Schleiermacher's solutions are wanting. In the 4th speech, he proposes that true religion can be found in small groups that are led by folks who have a closer connection to the divine than the members. In other words, let's go gather ourselves around some guru. Schleiermacher does not intend this, but in principle this idea does not exclude cases like the Branch Davidians, Hitler, etc. The later Schleiermacher of the Glaubenslehre is more self-conscious about theology's need to be continuous with tradition, while moving forward. Read this book, then go read Barth's Word of God and the Word of Man.
Rating: 
Summary: The birth of liberal protestantism ...
Review: ... This book is a must read in order to understand the birth of liberal Protestant theology. Schleiermacher is a brilliant reaction to Kant's rational religion, with his theology of experience. One should read this in order to make sure your theology has heart. However, Schleiermacher's solutions are wanting. In the 4th speech, he proposes that true religion can be found in small groups that are led by folks who have a closer connection to the divine than the members. In other words, let's go gather ourselves around some guru. Schleiermacher does not intend this, but in principle this idea does not exclude cases like the Branch Davidians, Hitler, etc. The later Schleiermacher of the Glaubenslehre is more self-conscious about theology's need to be continuous with tradition, while moving forward. Read this book, then go read Barth's Word of God and the Word of Man.
Rating:
Summary: The birth of liberal protestantism ...
Review: Everyone who is serious about theology should read this work. Schleiermacher's desire to reconnect religion with the spiritual is an attempt to get past Kant's rational religion. For people studying theology, he gives a helpful reminder that you should not lose your soul. However, it's in the 4th Speech that Schleiermacher lost me. I along with Karl Barth could not believe him anymore. In the 4th Speech, Schleiermacher tips his hand. Religious folks ought to form societies where they are led by someone who is more connected to the divine than they are. This seems to be a harmless premise, but this can lead to some serious misunderstandings. What excludes the Branch Davidians from this category? Or Hitler and the Nazis? To be sure, I doubt that Schleiermacher intends for these horrible things to be part an outworking of his premise. As an evangelical, I also find this view of the church as wanting in terms of its view of justification by faith and the priesthood of all believers. If we are all to be led by religious gurus, doesn't this lead to an elitist view of church leadership. It seems that Luther's great insight that all Christians are beginners in the faith has been lost.
Rating: 
Summary: The Beauty of Spirituality
Review: I was required to read this book for a class and was completely blown away by it. Schleiermacher's concept of the spiritual nature of the world is immensely poetic and is the most beautiful depiction that I have read to date. His discussion of the idea of "cultural constructs" caused me to re-think many aspects of my own life, and the way that society and culture affect our daily living. I often reflect upon his words when I am swept up in the masses in the city. The beauty and joy that he expresses in life and the idea of truly living are splendid. In an era where religion and spirituality are all too much neglected, Schleiermacher causes us to think of why we think the way we do, and what the root of that thinking might be. His work could be considered a handbook for those who follow a mystical tradition, and his grace in manipulating the written word often rivals that of St. Augustine in his "Confessions." I believe this to be one of the most important and one of the most beautiful theological works for spiritually curious readers, as well as theological scholars.
Rating:
Summary: not worth reading
Review: The author pathetically debates meaningless questions such as the "soul", etc. This work has no place in a truly educated person's library.
Rating:
Summary: It changed the landscape of Christianity
Review: This book, written by Schleiermacher in 1799 at the height of his involvement with the early German Romantics, was considered one of the most provocative and intriguing reads of its day. It continues to be read today because it retains that provocative and intriguing character. In an attempt to respond to Enlightenment critiques of religion, Schleiermacher creates an entirely novel manner of thinking and speaking about religion. In this book it is possible to see the beginnings of his creative and controversial move to ground religion, not in metaphysics or morals, but rather in feeling (or what he later will call immediate self-consciousness). The ripples of this move are still apparent in Protestant theology today. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in tracing the development of modern theology back to its roots. The Crouter translation is particularly good, and it expertly renders the 18th-century language into fluid, clear prose.
Rating:
Summary: It changed the landscape of Christianity
Review: This book, written by Schleiermacher in 1799 at the height of his involvement with the early German Romantics, was considered one of the most provocative and intriguing reads of its day. It continues to be read today because it retains that provocative and intriguing character. In an attempt to respond to Enlightenment critiques of religion, Schleiermacher creates an entirely novel manner of thinking and speaking about religion. In this book it is possible to see the beginnings of his creative and controversial move to ground religion, not in metaphysics or morals, but rather in feeling (or what he later will call immediate self-consciousness). The ripples of this move are still apparent in Protestant theology today. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in tracing the development of modern theology back to its roots. The Crouter translation is particularly good, and it expertly renders the 18th-century language into fluid, clear prose.
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