Erik Pontoppidan

Who was Erik Pontoppidan?

Erik Pontoppidan, was a Danish author, bishop, historian and antiquary. He was educated in Fredericia, after which he was a private tutor in Norway, and then studied in Holland, and in London and Oxford, England. In 1721 he became informator of Frederick Carl of Carlstein, and two years later morning preacher in the castle and afternoon preacher in Nordborg. From 1726 to 1734 he was pastor at Hagenberg, where he so protected the pietists as to find it advisable to defend his course against the Lutherans with Dialogus; oder Unterredung Severi, Sinceri, und Simplicis von der Religion and Reinheit der Lehre and Heller Glaubensspiegel. During this same period he laid the foundation of his later topographical and historical works in Memoria Hafniæ; Theatrum Daniæ; and Kurzgefasste Reformationshistorie der dänischen Kirche. Pontoppidan became successively pastor in Hillerød and castle preacher in Frederiksborg, Danish court preacher at Copenhagen, professor extraordinary of theology at the University, and a member of the mission board, meanwhile writing his Everriculum fermenti veteris and Böse Sprichwörter.