Johannes Agricola
Johann or Johannes Agricola (originally Schneider, then Schnitter; 20 April 1494 – 22 September 1566)
Biography
Early life
Agricola was born at Eisleben,[1] whence he is sometimes called Magister Islebius. He studied at Wittenberg, where he soon gained the friendship of Martin Luther.[1] In 1519 he accompanied Luther to the great assembly of German divines at Leipzig,[1] and acted as recording secretary. After teaching for some time in Wittenberg, he went to Frankfurt in 1525 to establish the Protestant mode of worship. He had resided there only a month when he was called to Eisleben, where he remained until 1526 as teacher in the school of St Andrew, and preacher in the Nicolai church.
Controversy
In 1536 he was recalled to teach in Wittenberg, and was welcomed by Luther.
Restoration and later life
As a consequence of the bitter controversy with Luther, in 1540 Agricola left Wittenberg secretly for Berlin, where he published a letter addressed to Frederick III, Elector of Saxony, which was generally interpreted as a recantation of his prior views. Luther, however, seems not to have so accepted it, and Agricola remained at Berlin.
Along with
He endeavored in vain to appease the Adiaphoristic controversy.
He died during an epidemic of plague on 22 September 1566 in Berlin.
Writings
Agricola wrote a number of theological works. He was among the first to make a commentated collection of German proverbs. The first volume contains 300 proverbs and was published in 1529 (Drey hundert Gemeyner Sprichworter, der wir Deutschen vns gebrauchen, vnd doch nicht wissen woher sie kommen; first published in Low German the year before); the second volume contains 450 proverbs and was published in 1530 (Das ander teyl gemainer Tewtscher Sprichwörter, mit jhrer außlegung : hat fünffthalb hundert newer Wörtter). A revised edition containing the seven hundred and fifty proverbs of the previous two volumes was published in 1534 (Sybenhundert und fünfftzig teütscher Sprichwörter, verneüwert und gebessert) and later republished with updated orthography, for example, in Wittenberg in 1592.
In literature
In 1836, Robert Browning used him as the subject of an early poetic soliloquy, "Johannes Agricola in Meditation".
References
- ^ a b c d John Julian: Dictionary of Hymnology, Second Edition, page 19. London: John Murray, 1907.
- ^ Lutheran Cyclopedia entry on Agricola, John.
- ^ Peter Stanford, Martin Luther: Catholic dissident, pg 379, 385.