General Diocese of Grubenhagen and on the Harz

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The General Diocese of Grubenhagen and on the Harz Mountains was an ecclesiastical supervisory district in the area of ​​today's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hanover .

history

The principality of Grubenhagen came into being in the 13th century as part of the division of the Brunswick ancestral lands. At the time of the Reformation it was ruled by Philip I , who turned to the new doctrine early on and signed the Torgau Alliance in 1526 . From 1534 he openly admitted Lutheran teaching. Four years later he issued a church order for his domain and joined the Schmalkaldic League . In 1544 Philip issued a supplementary order which, in contrast to the more general one of 1538, also contained specific provisions on the employment, remuneration, administration and supervision of clergy, execution of casuals , establishment of schools, forms of community life, etc.

After a thorough church visit, Duke Wolfgang issued a new, detailed church ordinance with an agenda in 1581 . His brother Philip II issued his own instructions for the administration of pastors and sextons for the part of the country he ruled Katlenburg.

The year in which the General Superintendent was founded is unknown. The court preachers in Herzberg and Katlenburg had a prominent position and carried the title of superintendent. The appointment of a general superintendent is not proven. The first general superintendent is only mentioned with the extinction of the Princely House and the transition of the Principality of Grubenhagen to the House of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel . From 1648 to 1658, 1708 to 1725 and 1735 to 1878 the general superintendent was connected with the first parish at the Marktkirche in Clausthal . From 1726 to 1735 it was based in Osterode am Harz .

In 1880 the general superintendent was combined with that of the Principality of Göttingen . The General Diocese of Göttingen merged into the newly founded General Diocese of Hildesheim in 1903 .

General superintendent

literature

  • Rudolf Steinmetz : The general superintendent of Grubenhagen and on the Harz. In: Journal of the Society for Lower Saxony Church History 41 (1936), pp. 79–175.
  • Philipp Meyer : The pastors of the regional churches of Hanover and Schaumburg-Lippes since the Reformation , Volume 1, Göttingen 1941, p. 171.