WALCH, Christian Wilhelm Franz, one of the greatest divines of Germany, and the second son of J. G. Walch, was born at Jena in 1726, studied at the university there, and subsequently travelled with his brother Immanuel into France and Italy. In 1750 he was chosen extraordinary professor of philosophy at Jena; in 1753 he was made president of the Latin Society of that town; in 1754 he was appointed extraordinary professor of divinity in Göttingen, of which he was appointed ordinary professor three years afterwards. He died suddenly in 1784.
C. W. F. Walch wrote numerous works on classics, divinity, and church history. They all bear the marks of a very superior mind, and of very extensive learning.
The following are his principal works:—Antiquitates Pallii Philosophici Veterum Christianorum, 1746; Oratio de Eloquentia Latina Veterum Germanorum, 1750; Historia Patriarcharum Judaeorum, 1751; Compendium Historiae Ecclesiasticae recentissima, 1757; Entwurf Einer vollständigen Historie der Kirchen-Versammlungen, 1759; Monimenta Medii Aevi, 2 vols., 1758; Grundzüge der Kirchengeschichte des Neuen Testaments, 4 vols., 1772-74; Grundzüge der Natürlichen Gotteslehre, 1775; Krit. Untersuchung vom Gebrauch der Heiligen Schrift, 1779; Neueste Religions-Geschichte, 9 vols., 1771-83; Bibliotheca Symbolica, 1770; Bibliotheca Philologica, 3 vols., 1770-77; and Entwurf Einer vollständigen Historie, 11 vols., 1782-85. The latter work gained for its author the title of "Heretic Walch."