Heinrich Philipp Konrad Henke

{{short description|German theologian}}

Image:Heinr. Phil. Conr. Henke, PA01178.jpg

Heinrich Philipp Konrad Henke (3 July 1752 – 2 May 1809), German theologian, best known as a writer on church history, was born at Hehlen, Brunswick-Lüneburg.{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Henke, Heinrich Philipp Konrad|volume=13|page=269}} He was the father of historian Ernst Ludwig Theodor Henke (1804–1872).

He received his education at the gymnasium in Braunschweig and at the University of Helmstedt. Until 1809, he was associated with the University of Helmstedt, named as an associate professor of philosophy in 1777 and of theology the following year. In 1780, he was chosen as a full professor of theology. During his tenure at Helmstedt, he was appointed abbot of Michaelstein Abbey (1786) and vice-president of the Carolinum in Braunschweig (1803).[http://bsbndb.bsb.lrz-muenchen.de/sfz70099.html NDB/ADB Deutsche Biographie] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171051/http://bsbndb.bsb.lrz-muenchen.de/sfz70099.html |date=2016-03-03 }}

Henke was a proponent of theological rationalism. His principal work, the multi-volume Allgemeine Geschichte der christlichen Kirche nach der Zeitfolge (General history of the Christian Church in chronological order) [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/39996273 WorldCat.org] Allgemeine Geschichte der christlichen Kirche nach der Zeitfolge was praised by Ferdinand Christian Baur "as one of the most exquisite works of literature".[http://de.wikisource.org/wiki/ADB:Henke,_Heinrich_Philipp Biography] @ Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie Other noteworthy efforts by Henke include:

• "Lineamenta institutionum fidei Christianae historico-criticarum" (1793).
• "Opuscula academica, theologici potissimum argumenti" (1802).[http://www.idref.fr/077698002 IDREF.fr] (bibliography)

Also, he was an editor of the Magazin für die Religionsphilosophie, Exegese und Kirchengeschichte (1793–1804) and the Archiv für die neueste Kirchengeschichte (1794–1799).[http://www.zeno.org/Meyers-1905/A/Henke Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon, Band 9. Leipzig 1907, S. 167-168] (biographical information)