Paul Egardus

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Paulus Egardus (* 1578/79 in Kellinghusen ; † in Lent 1655 in Nortorf ) was a German pastor and writer of edification .

Live and act

Paulus Egardus was the son of an organist from Kellinghusen who was not known by name. It was probably originally called "Eggert" or something similar, but used the Latinized form of the name. This can be deduced from the name of his sister, who married the Jevenstedt pastor Volkmar Jessen in 1600 and was referred to as "Anna Eggerdes" in a wedding poem. In 1610 the Latinized form "Egertus" was also used.

Although Egardus wrote a lot, most of his living conditions are not documented. He wrote about himself in dedications and prefaces only in the early phase of his work. In addition, there is only one report on the course of his appointment to Nortorf and one single letter from himself.

In May 1599 Egardus enrolled in theology at the University of Rostock . Due to financial problems, he was only able to study briefly. Around 1601 he got a job as rector of the Latin school and second preacher at the Rendsburg Marienkirche . In the summer of 1610, King Christian IV stayed in the city. Here the Rendsburg bailiff Heinrich Rantzau (Putlos) recommended the king, Egardus as the new pastor to St. Martin in Nortorf. The position had been vacant since Pastor Samuel Meiger passed away. Christian IV. Missed the point, ignoring the patronage of the monastery Itzehoe , which he provoked conflicts. Egardus was finally allowed to remain in office, but the monastery received its right to fill vacancies. Egardus worked here as a pastor until the end of his life.

Works

During his time in Nortorf, Egardus developed into a writer of edification literature. At first he wrote in Latin for theologians and scholars. From 1623 he wrote only in German. Its addressees were presumably mostly people from middle-class circles and women. The cheaply made books were published by the Stern brothers from Lüneburg , who concentrated on sellable religious works. This, and the fact that the books appeared at short intervals, suggests that Egardus was successful and that his writings were widespread.

Egardus was considered a reform orthodox theologian in the sense of Johann Arndt . In 1624 he defended this against accusations from strictly orthodox theologians with a pamphlet . In his texts he did not go into dogmatic conflicts. Instead, he concentrated on the edification of the inner personality and a clearly spiritualized Christianity. Believers could be sure that those enlightened by the Holy Spirit would experience communion with Christ while they were still alive. This would cut them off completely from the world, which should only be viewed as hostile and diabolical.

Egardus did not use theological sciences and their philological methods in his interpretations of the Bible. Instead, he invoked the "spirit". The symbols and figures on the golden horn of Gallehus , which was found in 1639 and described by Ole Worm in 1641 , he interpreted as a sign of the "whole theologia of the Holy Spirit".

Egardus undoubtedly influenced the early history of Pietism with his works . An indication of this is that Philipp Jacob Spener published a three-volume collective edition of almost all of Egardus' writings from 1679 to 1683. Johannes Moller mentioned Egardus at the beginning of the 18th century. He said that all pious believers had viewed him as the Arndt of Schleswig-Holstein ( "Arndius Cimbriae" ) because of his way of life and his works, which were shaped by true Christianity .

family

In his first marriage, Egardus married a woman of unknown name who died around 1615. In his second or third marriage, he married a woman named Anna on April 2, 1638 (* February 23, 1591). She was a daughter of the Rendsburg mayor Jacob Lobedantz and the widow of the Rendsburg councilor Simon Greve († 1628). Egardus had a daughter and a son named Christian Egardus († 1661), who succeeded his father as pastor of Nortorf.

literature

  • Eduard Alberti:  Egardus, Paulus . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 5, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1877, p. 655 f.
  • Dieter Lohmeier: Egardus, Paulus . in: Biographical Lexicon for Schleswig-Holstein and Lübeck . Wachholtz, Neumünster 1982–2011. Vol. 9 - 1991. ISBN 3-529-02649-2 , pages 102-104

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Dieter Lohmeier: Egardus, Paulus . in: Biographical Lexicon for Schleswig-Holstein and Lübeck . Wachholtz, Neumünster 1982–2011. Vol. 9 - 1991. ISBN 3-529-02649-2 , p. 102.
  2. ↑ Entry in the Rostock matriculation portal
  3. ↑ Dieter Lohmeier: Egardus Paul . in: Biographical Lexicon for Schleswig-Holstein and Lübeck . Wachholtz, Neumünster 1982–2011. Vol. 9-1991. ISBN 3-529-02649-2 , pp. 102-103.
  4. ↑ a b c Dieter Lohmeier: Egardus, Paulus . in: Biographical Lexicon for Schleswig-Holstein and Lübeck . Vol. 9, p. 103.
personal data
SURNAME Egardus, Paulus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German pastor and writer of edification
DATE OF BIRTH 1578 or 1579
PLACE OF BIRTH Kellinghusen
DATE OF DEATH 1655
Place of death Nortorf