Aims and history

Theologische Literaturzeitung (ThLZ) is the oldest and most comprehensive review of theological literature in the German language. Emil Schürer, together with Adolf von Harnack, started the journal in 1876, and it was published by the renowned Hinrichs'sche Buchhandlung in Leipzig. After the end of the Second World War, when the publishers were deprived of their licence in the Soviet Zone of Occupation (later the German Democratic Republic), Theologische Literaturzeitung was published by Evangelische Verlagsanstalt established in 1946. Its great commitment, along with that of its successive dedicated editors, has really ensured the journal's survival in this recent turbulent period of German history. After the war, the journal's editors were able to resume their work two years, and able to continue regardless of all adversity. ThLZ was not banned by the GDR regime, despite various attempts to do so, and later it also survived the commercial difficulties wich came with German unification.

The Editors of ThLZ have been:

  • 1876–1880 Emil Schürer
  • 1881–1909 Adolf von Harnack, Emil Schürer
  • 1910 Adolf von Harnack, Hermann Schuster, Arthur Titius
  • 1911–1921 Hermann Schuster, Arthur Titius
  • 1921–1930 Emanuel Hirsch
  • 1930–1939 Walter Bauer
  • 1939–1941 Hans-Georg Opitz
  • 1941–1958 Kurt Aland
  • 1958–1983 Ernst Sommerlath
  • 1983–1995 Ernst-Heinz Amberg
  • 1995–2000 Hans Weder
  • 2000–2020 Ingolf U. Dalferth
  • seit 2020 Christoph Markschies


To quote the founders´ words in their inaugural appeal (June, 1875):

“Theologische Literaturzeitung” is to serve as fully as possible all schools of thought within protestant theology in Germany. No school should be excluded from contributing. Reviews should be as objective as possible, judging scholarly merit alone, and without any theological axe to grind. Whilst endeavouring to be fair to everyone, the Editors nevertheless hope to maintain the journal's distinctive breadth of character. The reviews shall take into consideration all publications in the field of theological studies in Germany. Also, at least a selection of devotional books shall be reviewed as well as a selection of subject areas closely related to theology. Special attention will be paid to reviews of major works of foreign theological literature.”

In the course of its 125 years, it is not only the editors who have changed but also the theological schools of thought, their methods and the requirements to be fulfilled by such a review journal.
However, we have always attempted to keep the promises made by the founders. Started by “liberal theologians”, Theologische Literaturzeitung had to compete for quite some time with the strictly Lutheran "Theologisches Literaturblatt", established in 1880 by Christoph Ernst Luthardt, before that journal was merged with Theologische Literaturzeitung under its last Editor Ernst Sommerlath in 1943. Thus it was possible to continue fulfilling the requirement of a theologically neutral standpoint, “not to grind any theological axe”.
Today, Theologische Literaturzeitung reviews theological publications by representatives of all schools of thought and major denominations and has had religious studies in its subtitle since 1939. This broader spectrum is also reflected in the reviewers.
It is the aim of the Editorial Board to be not only inter-denominational but also international so as to meet the requirements of a modern scholarly review journal and to reflect its worldwide circulation.