Franz Günther (theologian)

Franz Günther ( Latinized Franciscus Gunterus ) (* in the 15th century ; † September 1528 in Lochau ) belonged to the first generation of young theologians who were influenced by Martin Luther's lectures at the University of Wittenberg and who introduced reformatory changes as a pastor in their parish. He was in correspondence with Thomas Müntzer and Martin Luther.

Studies

Günther came from Nordhausen and first met him in the sources in the summer of 1512 in Erfurt, where he acquired the degree of Baccalaureus artium . He was enrolled in Wittenberg on May 13, 1514 and acquired the degree of Magister artium on January 20, 1516 .

During his doctoral process on September 21, 1517, he had to defend a number of theses that Martin Luther had written for the occasion. (These pointed formulations show Luther's turning away from scholasticism and from Aristotle .) Günther became Baccalaureus biblicus on September 21, 1517. Further dates of his academic career were: Baccalaureus sententiarius on July 9, 1518, Baccalaureus formatus on November 11, 1519 and licentiate in theology on October 14, 1521.

At the turn of the year 1518/1519 Franz Günther preached at the Nikolaikirche in Jüterbog so polemically against the abbess of the local Cistercian monastery that he was sued by the provost in charge of the Bishop of Brandenburg . Günther was represented by Thomas Müntzer as a preacher, and both got into a conflict with the Jüterbog Franciscans.

Pastor

Luther found Franz Günther a pastor in Lochau , which he took up in August 1520. His field of activity included on the one hand the electoral residence courtyard, on the other hand the place with 33 fireplaces and the village of Purzien . It is not known when he was ordained a priest ; from 1521 he claimed the title of bishop for himself.

On April 3, 1522, the Bishop of Meißen made a visitation in Lochau , who had some criticisms of Günther's administration: Günther had married his pastor's assistant Balthasar Sturnius, a former Augustinian monk. Günther had given the Lord's Supper in both forms, and Günther disobeyed. Since Franz Günther was under the protection of the Elector, this visitation had no consequences for him.

Private

Günther married in 1522, and on April 17, 1523 Georg Spalatin baptized the first child from this marriage.

Franz Günther died shortly before September 3, 1528 in Lochau, leaving behind the widow and two children. His successor in the parish was Michael Stiefel , who also married Günther's widow.

literature

• Siegfried Bräuer , Manfred Kobuch : Thomas Müntzer Briefwechsel , Leipzig 2010, pp. 27–29. ( Biographical data Günther )

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Otto Hermann Pesch: Grace and Justification. On the eve of the Reformation and with Luther. Lecture given at the ecum. Forum Heidelberg July 20, 2007, p. 10, accessed on January 6, 2019 [1]