Christian Knorr von Rosenroth Add a review

Christian Knorr von Rosenroth (15/16 July 1636 – 4 May 1689) was a German Christian Hebraist and Christian Cabalist born at Alt-Raudten (today Stara Rudna) in Silesia. After having completed his studies in the universities of Wittenberg and Leipzig, he traveled through the Netherlands, France, and England. At Amsterdam, he became acquainted with an Armenian prince, with the chief Rabbi, Meier Stern, Dr. John Lightfoot and Henry More. Influenced by them, and others, he studied Oriental languages, chemistry, and the cabalistic sciences. On his return, he settled at Sulzbach where he became the privy counsellor of Christian Augustus, Count Palatine of Sulzbach. He devoted himself to the study of Hebrew. Later he became a student of the Kabbalah, in which he believed to find proofs of the doctrines of Christianity.

At the request of Franciscus Mercurius van Helmont he helped translate, edit and publish in Latin Jan van Helmont's writings on chemistry. He also dedicated time to translate Thomas Browne's vast-ranging work of scientific journalism, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, totalling over 200,000 words into German, completing this task in 1680 for publication in Frankfurt and Leipzig.

He also composed a number of hymns, including "Jesus, Sun of Righteousness", "Morgenglanz der Ewigkeit" ("Dayspring of Eternity", or "Come, Thou Bright and Morning Star").

A longer biography is available in Scholem (1974).