Paul from Rode

Paul vom Rode, also Paulus von Rode and Paul von Rhoda , (born January 4, 1489 in Quedlinburg , † January 12, 1563 in Stettin ) was a German Lutheran theologian and reformer . From 1535 to 1563 he was the first superintendent of Pomerania-Stettin .

Life

Rode studied theology at the University of Leipzig from 1509 and from 1513 at the University of Wittenberg . In 1520 he obtained his master's degree here. He then worked as a preacher in Jüterbog, Brandenburg . At Martin Luther's mediation, he went to Stettin in February 1523. At first he preached in the open air. Duke Bogislaw X heard his sermon on June 4, 1523 and did not object to it. Rode received the afternoon pulpit in the Jakobikirche , soon supported by Johannes Knipstro and Nikolaus Decius . In 1527 Protestant teaching was introduced in all Szczecin churches.

When the theologian Johannes Amandi attacked him because of his measured manner, he was placed in the tower in Gartz as an instigator of unrest until 1528 , but Rode was recognized as pastor at St. Jacobi. In 1531 Paul von Rode moved to Goslar as superintendent , but returned to Stettin in 1532.

Rode is closely connected with the implementation of the Reformation of 1534/35 in all of Pomerania. He was also involved in drafting the church ordinance. In 1535 he was appointed superintendent of Pomerania-Stettin and began visiting churches . Only the economic security for the pastors had not been achieved in Pomerania.

When Martin Luther met Paul von Rode in Schmalkalden in 1537 and he described his plight to him, Luther recommended him to Lüneburg , which was looking for a superintendent to succeed the late Heinrich Radbrock . Rode agreed, while Duke Barnim IX. wanted to persuade him to return and caused the city of Lüneburg to take their superintendent on leave for three months to complete the church visitation in Pomerania . Lüneburg granted the vacation, but had to experience that Rode did not come back.

Since 1541, Rode and the other two Pomeranian superintendents held general synods for the pastors, which took place annually. The agendas were passed at the first. In his final years, Rode bravely fended off Andreas Osiander's attacks in Pomerania and also took a stand against Peter Becker , the rector of the Stettin Council School, who was finally relieved of his office in 1556. From 1556 Rode worked on a church ordinance that was adopted in 1563 at a state parliament in Stettin.

Paul vom Rode held the office of superintendent until his death. His successor was Fabian Timaeus . Paul vom Rode was buried in the Jakobikirche in Stettin.

Paul vom Rode was married twice. His daughter from his first marriage married Joachim Grünenberg , rector of the Stettiner Ratsschule and later pastor in Altdamm.

literature

• Ferdinand Bahlow: Reformation history of the city of Szczecin. Szczecin 1920.
• Gottfried von Bülow :  Rode, Paulus vom . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 29, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1889, pp. 7-10.
• Harald Hertwig: Citizenship versus councilors. The preacher Paul vom Rode died 450 years ago . In: The Pommersche Zeitung. Episode 6/2013, p. 4.
• Hellmuth Heyden : Church history of Pomerania. 2 volumes. Cologne 1952.
• Hellmuth Heyden : A letter from the reformer Paul von Rode to the city of Gollnow. In: New essays on the church history of Pomerania. Cologne 1965, pp. 35-40.
• Eckhard Wendt: Stettiner Lebensbilder (= publications of the Historical Commission for Pomerania . Series V, Volume 40). Böhlau, Cologne / Weimar / Vienna 2004, ISBN 3-412-09404-8 , pp. 387–388.

See also

• Pomeranian Evangelical Church

predecessor	Office	successor
-	Superintendent of Pomerania-Stettin 1535–1563	Fabian Timaeus