Theologian: Friederich Schleiermacher (1768-1834)

More about his theology:  Schleiermacher develops a philosophy of religion whereby theology arises from the critical analysis of human piety or religious feelings. This means that there is no received content.  Theology cannot be apologetic. Schleiermacher’s methodology:  Examining the feelings…

This made the nature of religion not thinking (scientific approach eliminated by Kant).  Here he is attacking the historic Christian position that theology is a science.  Also, the religious nature is not ethics (acting morally) either  rather, it is feeling which works its way out in the absolute dependence.  The absolute dependence is the a priori form of self-consciousness that then works its way out from feelings.The human being is central here, rather than God as self-revealed.  There is no “Thus says the Lord.”  Also, theology is simply the outworking of prior religious feelings which are then subsequently analyzed.