Friedrich Heinrich Ranke (30 November 1798 – 2 September 1876) was a German Protestant theologian. He was the brother of historian Leopold von Ranke (1795–1886) and the father of pediatrician Heinrich von Ranke (1830-1909) and anthropologist Johannes Ranke (1836-1916).
He studied theology and philology at the University of Jena, where he was a pupil of Heinrich Luden and Johann Philipp Gabler. He then studied philosophy at the University of Halle (from 1817), afterwards working as a private schoolteacher in Frankfurt an der Oder. In 1826 he was named pastor in the town of Rückersdorf.[1][2]
In 1834 he relocated to Thurnau as dean and senior pastor, and several years later was appointed professor of theology at the University of Erlangen as a successor to Hermann Olshausen (1840). In 1842 he was appointed Konsistorialrat in Bayreuth, followed by duties as Konsistorialrat and Hauptprediger in Ansbach. In 1866 he was appointed Oberconsistorialrat in Munich.[1][2]
He wielded considerable influence towards the implementation of the Erweckungsbewegung (revivalist movement) in Bavaria. He also promoted the development of the Innere Mission, a German Protestant movement. Ranke was an opponent of theological rationalism.[3]
He was the author of lyrics to popular hymns, two of which are part of the present-day Evangelisches Gesangbuch (Protestant hymn book):[3]
In 1832 he published a German edition of work by John Bunyan with the title of Des Christen Wallfahrt nach der himmlischen Stadt (introduction written by Gotthilf Heinrich von Schubert).[6] He was also the author of a two volume study of the Pentateuch, titled Untersuchungen über den Pentateuch, aus dem Gebiete der hoeheren Kritik (volume 1, 1834; volume 2, 1840).[7]
