Joseph Seiss
Encyclopedia
Joseph Augustus Seiss was an American theologian and Lutheran minister known for his religion writings on pyramidology
and dispensationalism
.
, Frederick County
, Maryland
, to an agricultural family; his interest in religious studies reportedly began in childhood. Seiss was confirmed at age 15 as a member of the Moravian Church, and determined to pursue the ministry. Beginning in 1839, Seiss enrolled at Gettysburg College
in Pennsylvania
for a year or two of studies, but completed his theological courses by private study. He was licensed to preach in 1842 by the synod of Virginia
, and ordained to a Lutheran ministry in 1844. Seiss held pastorates in Virginia and Maryland until 1858, when he accepted a position at St. John's English Lutheran church in Philadelphia. In 1875, Seiss was elected pastor
of the newly established Church of the Holy Communion in western Philadelphia. His contemporaries described him as "an eloquent pulpit
orator" and said his "style is clear, ornate, attractive, and forcible". Periodicals of the day mention his speeches at New York
's Steinway Hall
and other prominent venues. Seiss was first published when he was 22 years old, and his works were often reviewed in literary and theological journals. A 1904 New York Times abstract describes Seiss as "one of the foremost men of the Church" and as "one of the founders of the General Council
in 1867".
. Seiss explicitly hoped that his writings on pyramidology would contribute "something toward the furtherance of correct science, true philosophy, and a proper Christianity
". The new forward to the 2007 reprint of the work states:
Seiss is typically cited among less than a dozen theologians who influenced Charles Taze Russell
, the founding editor of the magazine now known as The Watchtower
. Published by Jehovah's Witnesses
' Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
, the religious magazine and organization abandoned its teachings on pyramidology by the late 1920s.
Pyramidology
Pyramidology is a term used, sometimes disparagingly, to refer to various pseudoscientific speculations regarding pyramids, most often the Giza Necropolis and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt...
and dispensationalism
Dispensationalism
Dispensationalism is a nineteenth-century evangelical development based on a futurist biblical hermeneutic that sees a series of chronologically successive "dispensations" or periods in history in which God relates to human beings in different ways under different Biblical covenants.As a system,...
.
Life
Seiss was born in GracehamGraceham, Maryland
Graceham is an unincorporated community in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. Graceham is home to Graceham Moravian Church and Parsonage.-References:...
, Frederick County
Frederick County, Maryland
Frederick County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 233,385....
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, to an agricultural family; his interest in religious studies reportedly began in childhood. Seiss was confirmed at age 15 as a member of the Moravian Church, and determined to pursue the ministry. Beginning in 1839, Seiss enrolled at Gettysburg College
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg College is a private four-year liberal arts college founded in 1832, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, United States, adjacent to the famous battlefield. Its athletic teams are nicknamed the Bullets. Gettysburg College has about 2,700 students, with roughly equal numbers of men and women...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
for a year or two of studies, but completed his theological courses by private study. He was licensed to preach in 1842 by the synod of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and ordained to a Lutheran ministry in 1844. Seiss held pastorates in Virginia and Maryland until 1858, when he accepted a position at St. John's English Lutheran church in Philadelphia. In 1875, Seiss was elected pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of the newly established Church of the Holy Communion in western Philadelphia. His contemporaries described him as "an eloquent pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
orator" and said his "style is clear, ornate, attractive, and forcible". Periodicals of the day mention his speeches at New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Steinway Hall
Steinway Hall
Steinway Hall is the name of buildings housing concert halls, showrooms and sales departments for Steinway & Sons pianos. The first Steinway Hall was opened 1866 in New York City. Today, Steinway Halls and Steinway-Häuser are located in world cities such as New York City, London, Hamburg, Berlin,...
and other prominent venues. Seiss was first published when he was 22 years old, and his works were often reviewed in literary and theological journals. A 1904 New York Times abstract describes Seiss as "one of the foremost men of the Church" and as "one of the founders of the General Council
General Council (Lutheran)
The General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America was a conservative Lutheran church body, formed as a reaction against the new "Americanized Lutheranism" of Samuel Simon Schmucker and the General Synod....
in 1867".
Writings and legacy
Seiss eventually published more than a hundred works. Perhaps his most well-known work is The Great Pyramid of Egypt, Miracle in Stone: Secrets and Advanced Knowledge (1877); it is considered a primary text of pyramidologyPyramidology
Pyramidology is a term used, sometimes disparagingly, to refer to various pseudoscientific speculations regarding pyramids, most often the Giza Necropolis and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt...
. Seiss explicitly hoped that his writings on pyramidology would contribute "something toward the furtherance of correct science, true philosophy, and a proper Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
". The new forward to the 2007 reprint of the work states:
In addition to pyramidology, Joseph Seiss was a ChristianChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
dispensationalist, a 19th century millenialist school of thought. The dispensationalists viewed human history as a series of covenantsCovenant (biblical)A biblical covenant is an agreement found in the Bible between God and His people in which God makes specific promises and demands. It is the customary word used to translate the Hebrew word berith. It it is used in the Tanakh 286 times . All Abrahamic religions consider the Biblical covenant...
with GodGodGod is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. They were certain that the end of days could be pinpointed using Biblical prophecy. This was the origin of a set of beliefs widely accepted by contemporary evangelical Christians.
Seiss is typically cited among less than a dozen theologians who influenced Charles Taze Russell
Charles Taze Russell
Charles Taze Russell , or Pastor Russell, was a prominent early 20th century Christian restorationist minister from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, and founder of what is now known as the Bible Student movement, from which Jehovah's Witnesses and numerous independent Bible Student groups emerged...
, the founding editor of the magazine now known as The Watchtower
The Watchtower
The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom is an illustrated religious magazine, published semi-monthly in 194 languages by Jehovah's Witnesses via the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania and printed in various branch offices around the world...
. Published by Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
' Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania is a non-stock, not-for-profit organization headquartered in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, United States. It is the main legal entity used worldwide by Jehovah's Witnesses to direct, administer and develop doctrines for the religion...
, the religious magazine and organization abandoned its teachings on pyramidology by the late 1920s.