Matthias Lauterwald

Matthias Lauterwald (* around 1520 in Elbing ; † 1555 in Eperies ) was a German philologist, mathematician and Protestant theologian.

Life

Nothing is known about Lautenwald's origins. He studied from June 1540 at the expense of Duke Albrecht of Prussia at the University of Wittenberg , where he was a student of Erasmus Reinhold and Philipp Melanchthon . During his stay in Wittenberg he got to know Martin Luther in the last years of his life and experienced the consequences of the Schmalkaldic War ; both should shape his views. On February 19, 1549 he acquired the academic degree of a master’s degree and returned to Königsberg, where he was offered the prospect of becoming a professor of mathematics at the young university.

Once there, after Andreas Osiander's inaugural disputation, he took part in the theological disputes against him on April 6, 1549. But he drew the short straw and was forbidden by his employer to make further statements on his part. Thereupon Lauterwald wrote to Georg von Polentz in writing on April 16, 1550 , because he felt disadvantaged. Since he was ill, the letter was forwarded to Paul Speratus , who sent it to Osiander for justification. Osiander, in turn, handed the letter over to the Duke, who then dismissed Lauterwald from his service on July 15, 1550. Lauterwald returned to Wittenberg, where he was accepted into the senate of the philosophical faculty of the Wittenberg Academy on October 18, 1550.

In 1551 he became a preacher in the school gate and soon afterwards a preacher in the Hungarian town of Eperies . There he got into the theological disputes again in 1554, as a controversial head. He was accused of Calvinism . The Eperieser Protestants turned to the Wittenberg University; but when Melanchthon then confirmed a Calvinist deviation of his former pupil, he had already died. In his polemics, Lauterwald is said to have gone so far that he denied the Lutheran doctrine of the righteousness of faith . Not only does faith (as a gift from God) make the sinner just before God, but repentance and a new obedience are also required in order to be just.

Works (selection)

For a complete overview, see VD 16 .

• What our justice means / kürtslich and simply / very badly indicated / against the author Andree Osiandri / grave delight / which he can presumably call God's essential justice / ... Wittenberg 1552
• Five final sayings: Against Andream Osiandrum / Put by Matthia Lauterwalt Elbingensi / and as a basis his following writings . Wittenberg 1552.
• A concern: What to think of the enlightened Doctor Jahannis Tauler's (blessed memory) revelation, delight and enlightenment sampled his writings, which on your fault have completely darkened the essence of the essence that they must have given another, earlier delight . Wittenberg 1553.

literature

• Julius August Wagenmann:  Lauterwald, Matthias . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 18, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1883, p. 79 f.

Footnotes

1. ^ Fritz Gause : The history of the city of Königsberg in Prussia . Vol. 1: From the founding of the city to the last elector . Böhlau, Cologne 1965, p. 295.