Theophil Großgebauer

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Theophilus Großgebauer, engraving by Christian Romstet

Theophil Großgebauer (born November 24, 1627 in Ilmenau , † July 8, 1661 in Rostock ) was a German Lutheran theologian.

Life

Großgebauer, son of the mayor of Ilmenau of the same name, studied Protestant theology in Rostock, where he received his master's degree in 1650. His marriage to Margareta, the daughter of the pastor of the Nikolaikirche Johann Stein , opened up a future for him in Rostock, and in 1653 he was appointed deacon at the Jakobikirche . Here he worked as a popular preacher and writer until his untimely death.

Work and meaning

Großgebauer and his colleagues Johann Quistorp the Younger , Joachim Schröder (1613–1677) and Heinrich Müller are counted among the Rostock “ Reform Orthodoxy ”. It was characterized by the sharp criticism of contemporary grievances in church and society. Großgebauer practiced it exemplarily and as one of the first on the new kind of atheism . Like his colleagues, on the other hand, he called for an intensification of church discipline . Großgebauer, who translated Joseph Hall's book "The Olde Religion" (London 1628), was clearly influenced by Puritanism . But his idea of rebirth also takes on the influences of mystical spiritualism . With all this he became the forerunner of pietism .

His most famous work, the “Guardian Voice from Devastated Zion”, outlines a radical reform program for the church that bore Calvinist features. So the priest should put more emphasis on the pastoral care as to the sermon while on lay - presbyters are supported. In contrast, he strictly rejected instrumental music in church services. When composing his “ Pia desideria ”, Philipp Jakob Spener took up some of the impulses from this work and honored Großgebauer with a preface to the posthumous edition of his sermons, which his son Johann Valentin Großgebauer published.

Fonts

  • Jubilation shouts of the children of God / Auffgesetzet According to the sound of David's harps in the Hundred and Third Psalm / Before that, however, publicly spoken to S. Nicolai in Rostock . Rostock 1654
  • De rebus Veterum Hebraeorum Diatriba Prima . Rostock 1655
  • Praeservatif against the plague of today's atheists . Frankfurt am Main 1661
  • Guardian voice Outside the devastated Zion: That is, trustworthy and necessary discovery. Besides, the manifold preaching of the Word of God in the evangelical congregation was of little use for conversion and godliness . Frankfurt am Main 1661
  • Three witty writings: 1. Guardian voice from the devastated Zion. 2. Præservative against the plague of today's atheists. 3. Ancient religion. Now printed for the next time. ... Frankfurt am Main 1667 (4th ed. 1753)
  • XXVI Ingenious and edifying sermons on the Pauli epistle to the Ephesians , ed. v. Joh. Val. Großgebauer. Frankfurt am Main u. Leipzig 1689

literature

Web links