Tilemann Schnabel

Tilemann Schnabel (* around 1475 in Alsfeld ; † September 27, 1559 there ) was a Protestant theologian and reformer.

Life

Nothing is known about Schnabel's youth. He probably entered the Augustinian order in Alsfeld at a young age . The order then provided for his training and let him study in Erfurt as part of his Studium generale . Schnabel was already together with Martin Luther in the Erfurt monastery , and he also drew him to Wittenberg . There he acquired all academic degrees and on September 12, 1515 he was finally awarded the dignity of theological doctor . Luther later wrote to his elector that Schnabel was "the first creature that I created, since one young doctor does another".

Schnabel began his career in the order as prior in Königsberg / Neumark . Later he was Provincial of the Thuringian Order Province. But when the Augustinians began to leave the monasteries in droves in 1521, Schnabel also left. At that time Luther gave him a Hebrew hand psalter when he left, which he himself had received from Johann Lange (theologian) . First Schnabel went to his hometown Alsfeld, where he worked as a preacher.

But in 1523 he had to leave the city because Landgrave Philip did not want to allow the Protestant faith. Schnabel moved on to Leisnig , where he was so humble that Luther wrote to Georg Spalatin that the council probably wanted to drive his preacher away through hunger. After 3 years his hometown asked him to return. Schnabel worked there until his death. In 1530 he became superintendent . For a long time he was the only Hessian clergyman who had a theological doctorate. Luther regretted that Schnabel was not called to Marburg . If he had known, he wrote later, he would have gotten him out of Alsfeld long ago.

Probably out of anger about the landgrave's double marriage, Schnabel renounced his superintendence in 1541 and would have liked to go elsewhere. He wrote bitterly to Luther that the Gospel in Hesse was "like Christ in Herod's house". Luther recommended him to his elector as a preacher for Gera , but nothing came of it. Schnabel remained pastor in Alsfeld. During the time of the Augsburg interim he stepped forward once more, otherwise it was quiet around him.

literature

• Ernst Braune: The position of the Hessian clergy on questions of church politics during the Reformation . Hamel, Marburg 1932, p. 9.
• Karl Dienst :  Schnabel, Tilemann. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 9, Bautz, Herzberg 1995, ISBN 3-88309-058-1 , Sp. 521-523.
• Heinrich Heppe: Church history of both Hesse , Kraatz, Marburg 1876 (2 vol.).
• Fritz Herrmann: Dr. Tilemann Schnabel. The reformer of the city of Alsfeld . Cellarius, Alsfeld, 1905.
• Oskar Hütteroth: Old Hessen pastors of the Reformation period . Elwert, Marburg 1953, p. 313.
• Julius Pistor:  Schnabel, Tilemann . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 32, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1891, p. 81 f.
• Wilhelm G. Soldan: On the history of the city of Alsfeld . Self-published, Gießen 1862, p. 24ff.
• Johann Gottlob Wilhelm Dunkel: Historically critical news from deceased scholars and their writings, Köthen 1753 1st vol. P. 315.
• Gottfried Wentz: The Augustinian Hermitage in Wittenberg. In: Germanica Sacra- The dioceses of the Church Province of Magdeburg. Walter de Gruyter & Co, Berlin, 1941, 2nd T., p. 484.