1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Stier, Rudolf Ewald

STIER, RUDOLF EWALD (1800–1862), German Protestant divine and mystic, was born at Fraustadt in Posen on the 17th of March 1800. He studied at Halle and Berlin, first law and afterwards theology; and he continued his theological studies later at the pastoral seminary of Wittenberg. In 1824 he was made professor in the Missionary Institute at Basel. Afterwards he held pastorates at Frankleben near Merseburg (1829) and at Wichlinghausen in the Wupperthal (1838). In 1850 he was appointed superintendent at Schkeuditz, and in 1859 at Eisleben. He published a new edition of Luther’s Catechism and a translation of the Bible based on that of Luther; but he is noted chiefly for his thoughtful, devotional and mystical commentary on the words of the Lord (Reden des Herrn, 3 vols., 1843; 3rd ed., 7 vols., 1870–1874; Eng. trans., 8 vols., 1855–1858; 3 vols., 1869). He died at Eisleben on the 16th of December 1862.

His other works, besides commentaries on the Psalms, Second Isaiah, Proverbs, Ephesians, Hebrews, Epistles of James and Jude, include: Die Reden der Apostel (2 vols., 1824–1830; Eng. trans., 1869) and Die Reden der Engel in der heiligen Schrift (1862). Cf. J. P. Lacroix, The Life of R. Stier (New York, 1874).