Modern science is daily concerned with unraveling the mysteries of life. And yet the example of Johannes Reinke shows that there is great agreement between natural science and religion.The life of the German botanist Johannes Reinke (1849-1931) is an example for the conflict between natural science and beliefs at the turn of the 20th century, under the influence of Charles Darwin and Ernst Haeckel. Volker Wissemann shows that Reinke represented a philosophy in which the unity of natural science and religion was prominent and vital, to both liturgy and to earning a living. Two previously unknown writings of the botanist, professor, writer, politician, philosopher and Lutheran protagonist Johannes Reinke are (re)published in this volume.

Dr. Volker Wissemann ist Professor für Spezielle Botanik an der Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Direktor des Instituts für Botanik und wissenschaftlicher Leiter des Botanischen Gartens Gießen.