Der Landprediger

Born into a devout household in Thuringia, Johann Mannheim is the son of a stern pastor who has mapped out his future with meticulous orthodoxy. From childhood he rehearses his father's sermons in secret, wearing the priest’s wig and robe as a rite of passage, while his father dreams of protecting him from the seductive doctrines of the Enlightenment. When the time comes for Johann to leave for university, the expectations of his father clash with the lively academic atmosphere that surrounds him.

At the university, Johann encounters a circle of scholars and students who debate philosophy, natural science, and the new political ideas sweeping the Holy Roman Empire. The contrast between his inherited dogma and the vibrant, sometimes cynical, discourse awakens a restless curiosity and a sense of inadequacy that he cannot ignore. As he navigates friendships, flirtations, and the practical advice of a neighboring landowner eager to improve agriculture, Johann must decide whether to follow the prescribed path of his upbringing or forge his own understanding of faith and reason.