SEARCH BIOGRAPHY.COM
(born Sept. 25, 1869, Peine, Prussia—died March 6, 1937, Marburg, Ger.) German theologian, philosopher, and historian of religion. He taught at the Universities of Göttingen and Breslau, then settled in Marburg in 1917. His theories on religion were influenced by his journeys to Africa and Asia to study non-Christian faiths and by the writings of Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Schleiermacher. In The Idea of the Holy (1917), Otto coined the term numinous to designate the nonrational element of religious experience—the awe, fascination, and blissful exultation inspired by the perception of the divine. He believed that religion provided an understanding of the world that was distinct from and beyond that of science. His other books include Mysticism East and West (1926), India's Religion of Grace and Christianity (1930), and The Kingdom of God and Son of Man (1938).
advertisement
The brightest stars from the Hollywood universe shine brilliantly in this sweeping collection of profiles. Buy Now
Get email updates on your favorite BIO shows and what's new on bio.com!
– Bio.com news
– BIO shows
– Born On This Day
…and more! SIGN UP today!
See who was born and what went down this week in Pop Culture history. Find out which celebrities share your birthday and much more in our NEW On This Day feature!
March is Women's History Month. Explore our interactive women's history timeline, videos, meet hundreds of notable women and so much more.
Biography Show
I Survived...
Women's History
Actors, politicos and everyone in between - see all video!
© 1996-2010 A&E Television Networks. All Rights Reserved