Nicolaus Zaff the Younger

Nicolaus Zaff (* 1665 in Soglio GR ; † around 1727 in Chur ) was a Swiss Reformed clergyman .

Life

Nicolaus Zaff's father was the theologian Saturnin Zaff , another Nicolaus Zaff also belonged to the family. On December 27, 1665, Zaff the Younger was baptized. In 1682 he attended the Schola Tigurina in Zurich , and since May 20, 1684 the Academy in Geneva . After September 17th he attended the University of Basel to study philosophy , and since December 8th also theology. He passed his disputation on October 16, 1685. On June 7 of the following year, the Evangelical-Rhaetian Synod accepted him in Grüsch . This is noteworthy insofar as he had not yet reached the required age.

Since he was allowed to become a pastor in the Free State of the Three Leagues when he was accepted, he took over the pastor's position in Zizers that same year . From the following years until 1699 there are no references to Zaff's further biography. In 1699, he called himself professor at the Chur Collegium philosophicum in a letter. Only in the following year can it be proven that Zaff lived in Chur. That year he tried to get the pastor's post in Malix , but was refused. His brother-in-law Johannes Ulrich Bavier held the position.

In 1704, Zaff became the pastor of a French Reformed church in Chur. In June 1705 he was supposed to give up the position, but the congregation contradicted this before the synod. This determined that Zaff could stay there longer, presumably he stayed until his death. He also retained the position of professor of philosophy , because in 1715 and 1724 he described himself as professor and church servant.

He later appeared at a synod meeting in Thusis in June 1726. But then he was mentioned as a “deceased synodal” , so he seems to have died around 1727 in Chur. The exact date cannot be determined because the church records are incomplete in these years.

Works

• Dissertatio theologica de portis inferni ecclesia non pravalituris, juxta Christi promissionem Matth. XVI, v.18 (Basel 1685)
• The wise Solomon in the dearly known person of Her Royal Majesty of Great Britain Georgia I was revealed / on the occasion of the accession (Chur 1727)

literature

• Erich Wenneker :  Zaff, Nicolaus. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 14, Bautz, Herzberg 1998, ISBN 3-88309-073-5 , Sp. 310-311.