Christoph Friedrich von Ammon

Christoph Friedrich von Ammon (January 16, 1766 – May 21, 1850) was a German theological writer and preacher. He was born at Bayreuth, Bavaria and died at Dresden.

Life Early life

He was one of five children born to Philipp Michael Paul von Ammon and Eleonore Maria Eusebia Griesshammer. His father was a privy councillor attached to the Prussian court while his mother came from a family of clergymen. Ammons paternal grandfather Johann Christoph Ammon was also a clergyman and theological writer who had successfully debated with Lorenz Christoph Mizler on whether there existed music in heaven.

Through a daughter of his younger brother Friedrich Daniel Jonathan he was the grand-uncle of the author August Engelhardt.

Education Ammon was educated by private teachers. He was also taught by his relatives; like his maternal grandfather Christoph Heinrich Griesshammer whom he often visited and his father's brother Georg Conrad Lorenz Ammon who lived in Ansbach.

Ammon also received guidance from the Lutheran theologian Friedrich Immanuel Schwarz.

Seeking to establish for himself a middle position between rationalism and supernaturalism, he declared for a "rational supernaturalism," and contended that there must be a gradual development of Christian doctrine corresponding to the advance of knowledge and science. But at the same time he sought, like other representatives of this school of thought, such as Karl Bretschneider and Julius Wegscheider, to keep in close touch with the historical theology of the Protestant churches. Hufnagel was a supporter of theistic rationalism and had previously been Ammons teacher.

This was not only the important family connection gained through the marriage; Ammons father-in-law was also the cousin of the father of Hegel and had served as the godfather at his baptism. Therefore, though the relation was somewhat distant Hegel corresponded with von Ammon and is also known to have visited von Ammon in Dresden. who was named Max Lothar von Hausen.

In 1849 he retired from his position as court preacher.

Death He died at Dresden.