SOURCE: “Main Themes in Schleiermacher's Theology,” in Friedrich Schleiermacher: Pioneer of Modern Theology, Collins, 1987, pp. 35-65.

In the following excerpt, Clements discusses the influence of Schleiermacher's writings on the philosophy and study of religion, focusing on his theological methods, nationalism, and ideas on the place of Christianity in relation to other religions.

Our selection of themes from Schleiermacher's work and the corresponding texts chosen to exemplify his treatment of these do not pretend to be an exhaustive survey of his theology. They do, however, bring into relief the particular contribution which Schleiermacher made to the renewing of theology in his own day, and the ways in which subsequent theology and philosophy of religion have felt indebted to him. This does mean omission of certain areas of considerable interest in their own right, such as Schleiermacher's ethics and more general philosophy—not to mention his New Testament studies, in...