Stolz, Anselm

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STOLZ, ANSELM

Theologian; b. Erkrath, near Düsseldorf, Jan. 28, 1900; d. Rome, Oct. 19, 1942. In 1918 he became a Benedictine at Gerleve, Germany. He studied theology at St. Anselm's in Rome, where from 1928 he was professor of dogma. A charismatic teacher, Stolz attracted many pupils. His theology is the expression of old monastic spirituality in its extraordinary union of asceticism, liturgy, mysticism, teaching, and speculation. Stolz stands at the beginning of the new theology with its accent on the anthropological value of revelation, yet he does not neglect speculative theology. Stolz' particular strength lies in the organic, historico-dogmatic inclusion of patristics in a theology stamped with clear, methodological principles. His early death prevented him from satisfying the extensive requests for a Biblically oriented theology. His chief works were: Glaubensgnade und Glaubenslicht nach dem hl. Thomas (Rome 1933), The Doctrine of Spiritual Perfection (St. Louis 1938), Anselm von Canterbury (Munich 1937), the incomplete Manuale theologiae dogmaticae (Freiburg 193941), and "Theologia kerygmatica," Angelicum 17 (1940) 337351.

[a. roth]

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