Schleiermacher

• Prussian/German theologian and philosopher
• Schleiermacher was an early leader of liberal Christianity
• Schleiermacher wanted to reinstate the significance of the academic study of religion following the rationalist critiques of the enlightenment period
• Schleiermacher believed that if we go against the set of Christian values, our God-conscience tells us to stop sinning
• For Schleiermacher, God speaks to individuals through direct revelation, this takes priority over everything else
• Moral evil suggests people ignore God's whispering, or God is selective in who he whispers to, or there is no God
• If God is the one speaking to us, we are not really free
• The Church has always disagreed about moral principles, even when they agree about a God-given conscience