Lavater

Conversion had been the demand made on Moses Mendelssohn by Johann Kaspar Lavater and he eloquently refused.

Emancipation Michael Goldfarb 2009

Through contacts Lavater met Mendelssohn several times and, presuming on this brief acquaintance, decided to publicly engage the philosopher in a religious debate.

Emancipation Michael Goldfarb 2009

Lavater dedicated his translation to Mendelssohn, but it was not done to flatter the great thinker, it was done to challenge him.

Emancipation Michael Goldfarb 2009

His publisher was convinced the cause was the psychological stress of the Lavater affair.

Emancipation Michael Goldfarb 2009

Lavater translated into German a book by a French Swiss theologian named Charles Bonnet.

Emancipation Michael Goldfarb 2009

Lavater had alluded to that supposedly private conversation in his public challenge and Mendelssohn felt a great trust had been betrayed.

Emancipation Michael Goldfarb 2009

For the philosopher the Lavater challenge was a terrible event.

Emancipation Michael Goldfarb 2009

The letter to Lavater had made it clear that Mendelssohn thought it was unnecessary to become a Christian to be accorded equal respect as a human being, but to merit equal status under the law, to gain civil rights, the philosopher thought his fellow Jews had to adapt themselves to the society.

Emancipation Michael Goldfarb 2009

Then he gently rebukes Lavater for even trying to convert anyone.

Emancipation Michael Goldfarb 2009

Lavater was a theologian by academic training and a perpetual student of natural philosophy by avocation.

Emancipation Michael Goldfarb 2009