Schleiermacher's 'Brief Account' ("Kurze Darstellung"), published, as was his 'Christian Faith', in two separate editions in 1811 and 1830, summarizes his "whole view at that time of the study of theology." In four major sections (Introduction, Philosophical Theology, Historical Theology and Practical Theology) it develops Schleiermacher's overall conception of theology as a university discipline together with its sub-disciplines. It achieves this by giving a formal definition of the functions of theology both as a whole and in its parts, and thus it makes a major contribution to the theological encyclopaedia. The 'Brief Account' shows the great force of Schleiermacher's systematic thought and is basic to the study of his understanding of theology. The present study edition in the de Gruyter Texts series is based on the Complete Critical Edition (KGA I/6). It shows the pagination and line numbering of the KGA, so that it is possible to quote by the KGA. The volume opens with a comprehensive introduction by Dirk Schmid.