Johann Andreas Rothe

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Johann Andreas Rothe
Born May 12, 1688 (Lissa)
Deceased July 6, 1758 (Thommendorf)
Holiday July 5th ( Evangelical name calendar )

Johann Andreas Rothe ; also Johannes Andreas Rothe or Johann Andreas Roth (* May 12, 1688 in Lissa near Görlitz ; † July 6, 1758 in Thommendorf, today Tomisław in Polish, near Bunzlau in Silesia ) was a German Protestant pastor, writer and song poet.

Life

Youth and education

Johann Andreas Rothe was born as the son of pastor Aegidius Rothe and his wife Katharina, née. Pepper, born. He attended the grammar school in Görlitz under its rector Samuel Grosser, then the Breslauer Maria Magdalenen grammar school .

In 1708 he began studying theology in Leipzig , where he joined Professor Johannes Olearius (1639–1713) .

In 1711 he entered the preaching colloquium of the Görlitz Trinity Church . This was responsible for holding the afternoon services.

In 1712 Rothe was admitted as a preacher. His sermons were very popular, but at that time he was not given a pastor's office, probably also because he did not feel ready for it himself.

Substitute preacher and tutor

Instead, he worked from 1718 as an assistant preacher and as a private tutor in the service of the head of the Principality of Görlitz, Hans Christoph von Schweinitz (1645–1722), on the Niederleuba estate near Ostritz . Schweinitz was inclined to pietism . At this stage of his life, Rothe already emerged as a writer and gave numerous guest sermons in the neighborhood.

Cooperation with the Brethren

In mid-September 1721, at the instigation of the Duchess of Wolfenbüttel , who was looking for a court chaplain, he met the young Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf , who heard one of his sermons in Großhennersdorf . Rothe was friends with the pastor there, Gottlob Adolph .

A planned employment of Rothes in Dresden , which was planned in connection with Zinzendorf's work in the Saxon capital, and for which he gave a trial sermon in the Sophienkirche in the presence of Zinzendorf , did not materialize.

Instead he was invited to another trial sermon in Berthelsdorf near Herrnhut in Saxony on May 17, 1722 . Zinzendorf was deeply impressed by his sermon, his words have been handed down: “ Lutherus , Spener , Francke and Schwedler were together with all their gifts in his person. It was not too dark for any farmer and too shallow for any philosopher. "

Commemorative plaque for
Johann Andreas Rothe

So Zinzendorf called Rothe on May 19, 1722 to the vacant pastor's position in Berthelsdorf. He was thus integrated into the young movement of the Moravian Brethren .

The count also valued Rothe's ability as a teacher. That is why Rothe was involved in the construction of the orphanage, which was driven forward by Zinzendorf and was built for Protestant emigrants from June 17, 1722.

Besides being able to work closely with the Count, he was also able to establish important contact with the Görlitz Magister Melchior Schäfer, who introduced him to his office on August 30, 1722. As a result, I also got in touch with Christian David from Moravia , indirectly . Already during the inauguration, Zinzendorf assured Rothe: "In me you should have more of a loyal assistant and dear brother than a patronage." Soon afterwards, the first Moravian emigrants came to Zinzendorf's estate near the Hutberg. Rothe took over the spiritual direction of the new branch of the Brethren in Berthelsdorf. A friendship developed between Zinzendorf and Rothe through his devotion to and ability for his work, which was expanded to include Schäfer and Baron Friedrich von Wattewille to form the “four-brother union to secure the rule of Christ, the crucified, in the heart of mankind”. This association met for so-called conferences, in which Rothe could also demonstrate its talents. This close relationship between Zinzendorf and the Lutheran Rothe, who did not want to convert to the Evangelical Reformed faith or the faith of the Brethren community that emerged from the Bohemian Brothers , could not initially be due to the denominational and character differences between Rothe and Zinzendorf, who dealt with denominational issues More tolerant showed, to be destroyed, but aroused the displeasure of the Reformed Swiss court master Heitz in Hennersdorf.

On December 1, 1722, Rothe married the daughter of the late pastor of Rothenburg , who was related to him , Julia Concordia Rothe.

In August 1723, Hofmeister Heitz moved away, but denominational tensions continued.

In 1724 Rothe was able to cancel the opening of the orphanage and the place was named Herrnhut. In Leipzig he was formally ordained as an Evangelical Lutheran pastor. In doing so, he also distanced himself from the deviations of the doctrine of the Brethren Church compared to the orthodox Evangelical-Lutheran doctrine, which naturally strained his relations with the emerging congregation. Nevertheless, he played a major role in the catechism of the congregation and wrote several hymns for their hymnbook. He also wrote an exegesis as an appendix to Zinzendorf's Ebersdorfer Bible.

In 1727 Zinzendorf left Rothe the sole pastoral care in Berthelsdorf. Zinzendorf took on responsibility for the settlers in Herrnhut.

Differences with the congregation

On May 12, 1727 the community in Herrnhut was officially founded.

Due to the division of responsibilities decided that year, Rothe was not directly involved, apart from an act of penance, which was carried out as part of the founding process in August 1727 with Zinzendorf and the entire community. Rothe also took part in the consultations on the statutes of the community prior to the foundation. In the absence of Zinzendorf, he had advised to replace the self-designation as “Bohemian-Moravian Brothers” with the designation as Lutherans. He argued that this would allow the community to escape repression. This proposal fell on fertile ground with some parishioners.

Only a clear statement by Zinzendorf in 1728 put an end to these renaming efforts.

On August 28, 1729 Rothe signed the notarial instrument. The notary and senior official Christian Gotthilf Marche was also present. The notarial instrument confirmed that the Brethren belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran denomination, but also their organizational independence. Rothe undertook to work faithfully for the Brethren, as long as it did not show any secessionist efforts against the Evangelical Lutheran Church. This initially seemed to secure a further fruitful collaboration between Rothes and Zinzendorf.

In 1737, however, Rothe committed himself to the Saxon state government to draft secret reports on Zinzendorf's religious affairs. He found out about it and regarded Rothe's consent as high treason. Zinzendorf then publicly confronted Rothe with all employees on this matter. Rothe took this as a personal attack. Furthermore, he had received a reprimand from the Saxon state government because of the unauthorized signing of the Moravian Statutes. A repetition of such behavior would have resulted in Rothe's immediate suspension. So Rothe strove for another position.

Pastor in Hermsdorf

Accordingly, in autumn 1737 he followed a call as pastor to Hermsdorf (today Jerzmanki in Polish ) near Görlitz, although this meant financial deterioration. This marked the final break with the Brethren Church.

Clergyman in Thommendorf

In 1739, Count Promnitz zu Sorau was called to Thommendorf near Bunzlau, which Rothe also followed. He initially worked there as an adjunct to the local pastor. The count was a strict pietist.

In 1742 Rothe became a regular pastor in Thommendorf.

In 1744 Zinzendorf tried to win back Rothe for the Brethren through his wife and August Gottlieb Spangenberg . In addition, he was offered the position of preacher in the castle and director of the theological seminary in Marienborn . From Rothe's point of view, however, the relationship with the Brethren was permanently destroyed, and he refused in writing.

So Rothe stayed in Thommendorf, where he died on July 6, 1758.

Works

Quotes

“Both are equally alien to the educated, the blind and obstinate clinging to the old and the childish, fanatical addiction to innovation. Both are symptoms of ignorance. "

"It is precisely in the fact that the punishment is really retribution that its justice consists."

Remembrance day

July 5th in the Evangelical Name Calendar

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hymns (Esquimaux Hymns): Imgerutit attorekset illagêktunnut Labradoremẽtunnut. For the Use of the Christian Esquimaux in the Brethren's Settlements on the Coast of Labrador
  2. ↑ Sheet music for It is eternal mercy as pdf under Liederindex.de ( Memento from April 17, 2018 in the Internet Archive )
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Joseph Theodor Müller : Hymnological manual for the hymn book of the Brethren
  4. ^ A b Quotes from Johann Andreas Rothe on Aphorismen.de
personal data
SURNAME Rothe, Johann Andreas
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Rothe, Johannes Andreas; Roth, Johann Andreas
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German pastor, writer and song poet
DATE OF BIRTH May 12, 1688
PLACE OF BIRTH Lasów
DATE OF DEATH July 6, 1758
Place of death Tomisław near Bunzlau in Silesia