Progress as a figure of thought of the Enlightenment in Schleiermacher's church-historical works and their reception history

Schleiermacher's work on church history was neglected in research for a long time. In a critical examination of the common assessment of Schleiermacher as a comparatively conservative church historian, the study shows to what extent he adopts an Enlightenment category of thought with the concept of progress. In addition, the importance of this appropriation in the historical philosophical debate of the 20th century as well as in the more recent debate on church history is asked. It shows that although Schleiermacher's concept of progress in church history can hardly claim direct normative validity today, there is a remarkable tradition of critical reflection on its opportunities and limitations, the processing of which can serve the constructive self-historicization of contemporary theology.