May 20, 2017
Devotions: Personalities of the Reformation: Justus Jonas

Justus Jonas, original name Jodocus Koch was born June 5/6, 1493, in Nordhausen (central Germany) and died October 9, 1555, in Eisfeld, Saxony. He was a German religious Reformer, Jurist, legal scholar and hymn writer. A colleague of Luther, he played a prominent role in the early Reformation movement, particularly at Marburg (1529) and at Augsburg (1530), where he helped draft the Augsburg Confession, a fundamental statement of Lutheran belief. He is best known for his German translation of the Latin writings of Luther and Philipp Melanchthon. An advocate of Erasmus’ Humanism, he introduced Greek and Hebrew into the curriculum on becoming rector of the University of Erfurt (1519). During Luther’s stay in the castle in Wartburg, Jonas was one of the most active of the Wittenberg reformers. Giving himself up to preaching and polemics, he aided the reformation movement by his gift as a translator, turning Luther’s and Melanchthon’s works into German or Latin as the case might be, thus becoming a sort of double of both. Jonas also assisted Luther with his translation of the Bible into the German language.

One of the eight hymns in the first Lutheran hymnal is attributed to him, In Jesu Namen wir heben an (In the name of Jesus we begin), which appeared in 1524 with four hymns by Martin Luther and three by Paul Speratus. His hymn Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt, a paraphrase of Psalm 124, was published in the Erfurt Enchiridion. It was used by several composers as a base for organ and choral music, including Bach’s chorale cantata BWV 178. Jonas was busied in conferences (including a prominent role in the Reformation conferences at Marburg (1529) and Augsburg (1530)) and visitations during the next twenty years, and in diplomatic work with the princes. In the autumn of 1531, Jonas published a German translation of the Apology of the Augsburg Confession and in 1541 he began a successful preaching crusade in Halle.

Martin Luther became severely ill and visited his friend during Christmas in 1545. Jonas was present at Luther’s deathbed at Eiselben (February 18, 1546), and preached the funeral sermon; in a procession Luther’s body was taken to Halle and buried in Wittenberg. In the same year Jonas was banished by Maurice, Duke of Saxony. From that time until his death, Jonas was unable to secure a satisfactory living. He wandered from place to place preaching, and finally died in 1553, at the age of 62.(Wikipedia, and britannica.com)
Paul Speratus: a Catholic priest who became a Protestant preacher and hymn-writer. In 1523, he helped Luther to create the First Lutheran Hymnal, published in 1524 and called Achtliederbuch.

Erfurt Enchiridion: (the second Lutheran hymnal, 1524, two editions)

Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns halt:
Here is the English translation of the first two verses of the hymn:

If the Lord God does not stay with us
when our enemies rage
and if he does not support our cause
in heaven high above,
if he is not Israel’s protection
and does not himself break the enemy ‘s cunning,
then all is lost with us.

What human power and intelligence contrive
should not easily terrify us;
He sits in the highest place,
he will uncover their plan.
When they attack with the greatest cunning,
then God goes another way:
It is in his hands.

Singing hymns has been an integral part of Lutheran worship since the beginning of Protestantism.

Pastor Dave

Please bring in boxes of tissues this week for Trinity’s Table.

May 19, 2017
Devotions: Personalities of the Reformation: Caspar Hedio

“Caspar Hedio was born in 1494 and died on October 17, 1552. He was a German historian, theologian and, of course, Protestant reformer. He was born into a prosperous family and attended a famous school in Pforzheim, Germany. In 1513. he began his studies in Fribourg and later studied theology in Basel, where he received his degree in 1519. At that time, he began his relationship with Ulrich Zwingli and corresponded with Martin Luther. He took his doctorate in Mainz and obtained a position as a preacher at the Strasbourg Cathedral in 1523. His Protestant convictions were made clear when he married Margarete Trenz.

In Strasbourg, he collaborated with Wolfgang Capito (May 13 devotion) and Martin Bucer (May 9 devotion) and participated in the Marburg Colloquy (see below). His influence extended to Alsace, and the Palatinate (historical territory of the Holy Roman Empire). When Melanchthon went to France, Hedio was asked to accompany him. In 1541, he moved to Regensburg to join Bucer and others in developing Protestant doctrine. As a representative of Strasbourg, he participated in the debate at the Diet of Worms of 1545 (not to be confused with the Diet of Worms in 1521).
Hedio translated many tracts by the Church Fathers, published a chronicle of the early Christian church based on the works of Eusebius and Sozomen (Salminius Hermias Sozomenus, historian of the Christian Church) and compiled a world history.” (Wikipedia)

Marburg Colloquy: was a meeting at Marburg Castle, Marburg, Hesse Germany which attempted to solve a disputation between Luther and Zwingli over the Real Presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper. It took place between October 1 and October 4, 1529 Underlying this disagreement was their theology of Christ. Luther believed that the human body of Christ was ubiquitous (present in all places) and so present in the bread and wine. This was possible because the attributes of God infused Christ’s human nature. Luther emphasized the oneness of Christ’s person. Zwingli, who emphasized the distinction of the natures, believed that while Christ in his deity was omnipresent, Christ’s human body could only be present in one place, that is, at the right hand of the Father. Therefore, Zwingli believed that the bread and wine of communion “signify” but do not literally become the body and blood of Christ.

Not much else is known about Hedio. He obviously had his influences (like Luther, Melanchthon, Bucer and Capito) and was influential by participating in the last Diet in Worms. So many people who were instrumental in the Protestant movement that we have never heard of – but still were important to one of the most important religious movements in the last 500 years.

Pastor Dave

Please bring in boxes of tissues this week for Trinity’s Table.