
Joachim Mörlin (5 April 1514, in
Wittenberg
Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is the fourth-largest town in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, in the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany. It is situated on the River Elbe, north of Leipzig and south-west of the reunified German ...
,
Electorate of Saxony
The Electorate of Saxony, also known as Electoral Saxony ( or ), was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire from 1356 to 1806 initially centred on Wittenberg that came to include areas around the cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz. It was a ...
– 29 May 1571, in
Königsberg
Königsberg (; ; ; ; ; ; , ) is the historic Germany, German and Prussian name of the city now called Kaliningrad, Russia. The city was founded in 1255 on the site of the small Old Prussians, Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teuton ...
,
Duchy of Prussia
The Duchy of Prussia (, , ) or Ducal Prussia (; ) was a duchy in the region of Prussia established as a result of secularization of the Monastic Prussia, the territory that remained under the control of the State of the Teutonic Order until t ...
(now
Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad,. known as Königsberg; ; . until 1946, is the largest city and administrative centre of Kaliningrad Oblast, an Enclave and exclave, exclave of Russia between Lithuania and Poland ( west of the bulk of Russia), located on the Prego ...
in
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
) - 1945) was an
Evangelical Lutheran
Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
theologian and an important figure in the controversies following
Martin Luther
Martin Luther ( ; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, Theology, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Reformation, Pr ...
's (1483-1546) death. He was the older brother of
Maximilian Mörlin
Maximilian Mörlin ( 14 October 1516, Wittenberg, Electorate of Saxony — 20 April 1584, Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Eisenach ) was a Lutheran theologian, court preacher, Superintendent in Coburg, and Reformer.
Life
Maximilian grew up with hi ...
, another Lutheran theologian and Reformer.
Early life
Mörlin was born at Wittenberg, where his father,
Jodok Mörlin, also known as Jodocus Morlinus, was the Professor of
Philosophy
Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...
at the
University of Wittenberg
Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (), also referred to as MLU, is a public research university in the cities of Halle and Wittenberg. It is the largest and oldest university in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. MLU offers German and i ...
. Joachim himself studied at the same University under Luther,
Philipp Melanchthon
Philip Melanchthon (born Philipp Schwartzerdt; 16 February 1497 – 19 April 1560) was a German Lutheran reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, an intellectual leader of the ...
,
Justus Jonas
Justus Jonas, the Elder (5 June 1493 – 9 October 1555), or simply Justus Jonas, was a German Lutheran theologian and reformer. He was a Jurist, Professor and Hymn writer. He is best known for his translations of the writings of Martin Luther ...
, and
Casper Cruciger the Elder from 1532 to 1536. After a brief residence at
Coburg
Coburg ( , ) is a Town#Germany, town located on the Itz (river), Itz river in the Upper Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany. Long part of one of the Thuringian states of the Ernestine duchies, Wettin line, it joined Bavaria by popular vote only ...
, he returned to Wittenberg and in 1539 became Luther's chaplain, declining a call to succeed
Poliander at Königsberg. While a true pupil of Luther, Mörlin was more influenced by the dogmatics of Melanchthon, though devoid of sympathy with the
Philippist
The Philippists formed a party in early Lutheranism. Their opponents were called Gnesio-Lutherans.
Before Luther's death
''Philippists'' was the designation usually applied in the latter half of the sixteenth century to the followers of Phili ...
ic efforts for union with the
Reformed
Reform is beneficial change.
Reform, reformed or reforming may also refer to:
Media
* ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang
* Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group
* ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine
Places
* Reform, Al ...
.
On 22 September 1540 Joachim left Wittenberg to become superintendent at Arnstadt, where, until deposed in March 1543 for his rigid discipline and opposition to union, he displayed great activity, moral earnestness, and courage. But neither the appeal of his congregation nor the sympathy of Luther could overcome the hostility of the Count of Schwartzburg,
Günther XL.
On 10 May 1544 Mörlin became superintendent at
Göttingen
Göttingen (, ; ; ) is a college town, university city in Lower Saxony, central Germany, the Capital (political), capital of Göttingen (district), the eponymous district. The River Leine runs through it. According to the 2022 German census, t ...
. Here he was equally firm in insistence on purity of life and doctrine, and wrote his ''Enchiridion catecheticum'' (1544), taught rhetoric in the Latin school, and lectured on
Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus ( ; ; 28 October c. 1466 – 12 July 1536), commonly known in English as Erasmus of Rotterdam or simply Erasmus, was a Dutch Christian humanist, Catholic priest and Catholic theology, theologian, educationalist ...
and
the Loci of Melanchthon. Mörlin's activity in Göttingen came to an end with his uncompromising resistance to the union advocated by the
Interim. On 17 January 1550, after vain protests by both council and congregation to the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg,
Eric II, Mörlin was dismissed from office.
Mörlin went to
Erfurt
Erfurt () is the capital (political), capital and largest city of the Central Germany (cultural area), Central German state of Thuringia, with a population of around 216,000. It lies in the wide valley of the Gera (river), River Gera, in the so ...
, thence to
Arnstadt
Arnstadt () is a town in Ilm-Kreis, Thuringia, Germany, on the river Gera (river), Gera about south of Erfurt, the capital of Thuringia. Arnstadt is one of the oldest towns in Thuringia, and has a well-preserved historic centre with a partially ...
, and finally to
Schleusingen
Schleusingen is a town in the Hildburghausen (district), district of Hildburghausen, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated 10 km north of Hildburghausen, and 12 km southeast of Suhl.
Geography
The town of Schleusingen in the Henneber ...
, where he lived and preached in the castle of
William IV
William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded hi ...
, the Count of Henneberg. Yet even here Mörlin was not altogether safe, and on 25 August 1550 he left Schleusingen, arriving at Königsberg on 13 September. There, since Prussia did not belong constitutionally to the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
, he could not be molested, and on 27 September 1550 was appointed pastor at the
Kneiphöfer Dom and inspector.
Controversy with Osiander
There Mörlin became involved in the
Osiandrian controversy
The Osiandrian controversy was a controversy amongst the Lutherans, originated in around 1550 by Andreas Osiander, a German theologian. He asserted that it was only through the righteousness of Christ with respect to the divine nature (entirely ex ...
, for it was not in his nature to remain neutral. However, the break between Mörlin and Osiander was gradual. When the latter defended his view of justification (act. 24, 1550), Mörlin remained a silent witness; but Osiander's work with on the incarnation and the image of God, and still more his ''Bericht und Trostschrift'', with its savage attack on Melanchthon, led Mörlin to complain, on 7 February 1551, to
Albert of Prussia
Albert of Prussia (; 17 May 149020 March 1568) was a German prince who was the 37th grand master of the Teutonic Knights and, after converting to Lutheranism, became the first ruler of the Duchy of Prussia, the secularized state that emerged fr ...
, though he did this so delicately that the duke commissioned him and
Aurifaber Aurifaber (the Latinized form of the German surname " Goldschmidt" or "Goldschmied" meaning "gold smith") was a surname borne by three prominent men of the Reformation period in Germany:
* Andreas Aurifaber (1514–1559), physician from Bresla ...
, Osiander's son-in-law, to assemble the theologians for the conference which was held on 13–17 February. Here Mörlin's sincere desire for peace was evident, but his suspicion of Osiander increased, even though the latter claimed to be in harmony with Luther, denying the truth of Mörlin's ''Antilogia seu contraria doctrina inter Lutherum et Osiandrum''. On 19 April Mörlin preached against those who depreciated the merits of Christ, and Osiander rightly took this as directed against himself.
The breach was now complete, and after an interchange of recriminations, Mörlin was replaced by
Stancarus, professor of Hebrew. Before a new colloquy could be held, however, the duke directed (on 8 May) first Osiander and then his opponents to present their views in writing. Osiander hesitated, and Mörlin attacked him from the pulpit (on 27 May). The duke now forced Mörlin to defend his tenets in writing, and further roused him and his followers to passionate resistance by appointing Osiander to administer the
bishopric of Samland
The Diocese of Samland (Sambia) (, ) was a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Sambia Peninsula, Samland (Sambia) in Prussia (region), medieval Prussia. It was founded in 1243 by papal legate William of Modena. Its seat was Königsberg, ...
, and by requiring Mörlin and others to submit to the decision of the church. The characteristic reply (on 21 July) was that Mörlin and his adherents refused to recognize Osiander's jurisdiction, since he was a heretic, and they appealed to a free synod. Osiander's opponents now continued their attacks and virtually met up a separate church. This was forbidden by the duke (on 12 August), who sent them Osiander's confession of faith, which was returned unread.
The polemics still continued, and Albert in despair sent Osiander's confession to the princes and cities of Germany, urging a synod. Mörlin's position was gaining strength in Prussia, and the majority of the opinions of the churches outside Prussia were also favorable to him. The very refusal of the duke to publish these condemnations of Osiander aided Mörlin, who, on 23 May 1552, published a polemic defending the doctrine of justification against his opponent, in which he clearly set forth the orthodox Wittenberg position, and emphasized the difference between it and Osiander's teaching. Besides continuing to urge the publication of the opinions just mentioned, Mörlin preached a sermon (June 1552) directed against Osiander, deprecating speculations on the inscrutable essence of God; and Osiander replied with his impassioned ''Schmeckbier'', in which he arraigned Mörlin and his friends.
The controversy increased in pettiness and coarseness, until Albert threatened (on 15 July 1552) to depose Mörlin, only to receive the respectful but firm reply that Mörlin held it his divinely commissioned duty to polemize against Osiander. Meanwhile, a second opinion came from Württemberg, and from it both Osiander and Mörlin claimed the support of
Johann Brenz, but on 17 October 1552 the weary struggle found its end in the death of Osiander, a defeated man.
Driven from Königsberg
The peace-loving policy of Albert was still to demonstrate its futility. The ambiguity of the Württemberg declaration seemed to him to constitute a good formula of union, and on 24 January 1553 he required that sermons on justification should be preached according to the six Württemberg articles, and that all coarseness should be avoided. This was tantamount to a defense of Osiandrianism, but the great majority of the duke's subjects were opposed, while Mörlin declared himself unable to obey the ducal mandate when contrary to the obligations of religion. This was the only course open to him, but the duke's displeasure was now finally incurred, and on 16 February 1553 he presented his resignation. Three days later he sought refuge in
Danzig, where he awaited an expected recall, supported as he was by the council and the citizens. But all appeals to the duke were in vain; and the exile at last resigned himself to his punishment and sought for a new field of activity.
Mörlin had not long to wait.
Brunswick and
Lübeck
Lübeck (; or ; Latin: ), officially the Hanseatic League, Hanseatic City of Lübeck (), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 220,000 inhabitants, it is the second-largest city on the German Baltic Sea, Baltic coast and the second-larg ...
were rivals for his services; the former won by right of priority, and he entered Brunswick on 25 July 1553. In the following year he received an assistant in the Melanchthonian
Martin Chemnitz
Martin Chemnitz (9 November 1522 – 8 April 1586) was an eminent second-generation German Confederation, German, Lutheranism, Evangelical Lutheran, Christian theology, Christian theologian, and a Protestant Reformers, Protestant reformer, c ...
, and developed a powerful activity, strengthening the Lutheran cause with the aid of the religious
peace of Augsburg
The Peace of Augsburg (), also called the Augsburg Settlement, was a treaty between Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and the Schmalkaldic League, signed on 25 September 1555 in the German city of Augsburg. It officially ended the religious struggl ...
, and preparing, in 1577, his ''Leges pro ministerio Brunsvicensi'', which all the clergy of his superintendency were required to subscribe when entering upon office. He assailed the Reformed as bitterly as the Roman Catholics.
Again, in 1564, the council of Brunswick enacted that the ''Corpus doctrinae'' should be subscribed by all theologians, a rule which remained in force until 1672. And this was no dead letter, for in 1566 Johannes Becker, a pastor in Brunswick who had subscribed to the ''Corpus'' but become a Calvinist, was forced to resign and ultimately was banished from the city.
Meanwhile, Mörlin and Chemnitz were active in other inter-Lutheran controversies and in warding off Calvinistic attacks; and the former was the prime mover in the rejection, by the Brunswick clergy, of the doctrines of
Schwenckfeld
Caspar (or Kaspar) Schwen(c)kfeld von Ossig () (1489 or 1490 – 10 December 1561) was a German theologian, writer, physician, naturalist, and preacher who became a Protestant Reformer and spiritualist. He was one of the earliest promoters ...
, besides being one of those asked by the council of Bremen to settle the dispute between
Johann Timann
Johann, typically a male given name, is the German form of ''Iohannes'', which is the Latin form of the Greek name ''Iōánnēs'' (), itself derived from Hebrew name '' Yochanan'' () in turn from its extended form (), meaning "Yahweh is Gracious" ...
and
Albert Hardenberg
Albert Hardenberg or Albertus Risaeus (c. 1510 in Rheeze near Hardenberg – 18 May 1574 in Emden) was a Reformed theologian and Protestant reformer, who was also active as a reformer in Cologne, Bremen and Emden.
Life
From the age of seven, h ...
. He furthermore defended
Hesshusen in his pamphlet ''Wider die Landlügen der heidelbergischen Theologen'' (1565).
Efforts for Theological Reconciliation
In the struggle with Calvinism Mörlin supported
Joachim Westphal, and to this end wrote his ''Confessio fidei de eucharistiae sacramento ministrorum ecclesiarum Saxonicarum'' (Magdeburg, 1557). At Coswik he sought to mediate between Melanchthon and
Flacius, and in his eagerness for peace, when the delegates of the
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
assembled at Brunswick, he held a conference with Chemnitz, Westphal, and others (on 14 January 1557) and reached an agreement on articles tending to reconcile the
adiaphorists and those holding to the true Gospel. Mörlin then took these articles to Flacius at Magdeburg, after which he conferred with Melanchthon at Wittenberg, but returned to Brunswick unsuccessful (on 28 January 1557).
Eight months later Mörlin went to the
Colloquy of Worms, but by his opposition to the
Philippists
The Philippists formed a party in early Lutheranism. Their opponents were called Gnesio-Lutherans.
Before Luther's death
''Philippists'' was the designation usually applied in the latter half of the sixteenth century to the followers of Phi ...
and by his withdrawal helped render the conference resultless. In December 1558 he visited Weimar and Jena to reconcile Flacius and
Strigel, and in 1560 he signed the petition of the Jena theologians to the princes to call a Lutheran synod to combat Calvinism. Mörlin was also a prominent figure at the conference of theologians from Lower Saxony held at
Lüneburg
Lüneburg, officially the Hanseatic City of Lüneburg and also known in English as Lunenburg, is a town in the German Bundesland (Germany), state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of another Hanseatic League, Hanseatic city, Hambur ...
in July 1561, and wrote the confession of faith there drawn up, ''Erklärung aus Gottes Wort und kurzer Bericht der Artikel'', etc. (Magdeburg, Jena, and Regensburg, 1561), which became binding on all pastors in Brunswick; and he again showed his Wittenberg orthodoxy in his ''Verantwortung der Präfation so für die lüneburgischen Artikel'' (1562).
In 1563 the Council of Wesel asked the opinion of the Brunswick theologians for a ruling on the admission of Reformed refugees from England, and the decision was that the immigrants should be received and instructed; but, should they propagate their erroneous views, they should be expelled.
In 1566 and 1567 Mörlin found himself compelled to break with his old friend Flacius because of the latter's teaching on
original sin
Original sin () in Christian theology refers to the condition of sinfulness that all humans share, which is inherited from Adam and Eve due to the Fall of man, Fall, involving the loss of original righteousness and the distortion of the Image ...
; and at the same time he wrote against the Antinomians his ''Tres disputationes de tertio usu legis''.
Recalled to Königsberg
Meanwhile, inspired partly by him, the struggle had continued in Prussia between the Melanchthonians and the Osiandrian peace-policy of the court. Well informed of all that went on in Königsberg, Mörlin strengthened his sympathisers with his ''Historia welcher Gestalt sich die osiandrische Schwärmerei im Lande zu Preussen erhoben'' (Brunswick, 1554). In 1555 he published two other pamphlets on the course of events in Prussia; and finally Albert found himself obliged to yield.
On 30 November 1566 Mörlin was invited to return to Prussia, but he declined to leave Brunswick. The invitation was repeated, however (31 January 1567), and after much persuasion Mörlin accepted and obtained leave of absence from the reluctant Council of Brunswick. On 9 April 1567 he and Chemnitz were joyfully welcomed in Königsberg, and at once began the restoration of Melanchthonian orthodoxy.
After much consideration it was decided that the confessional bases should remain the
Augsburg Confession
The Augsburg Confession (), also known as the Augustan Confession or the Augustana from its Latin name, ''Confessio Augustana'', is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheranism, Lutheran Church and one of the most important documents of th ...
,
the Apology, and the
Schmalkald Articles
The Smalcald Articles or Schmalkald Articles () are a summary of Lutheran doctrine, written by Martin Luther in 1537 for a meeting of the Schmalkaldic League in preparation for an intended ecumenical Council of the Church.
History
The Schmalkaldi ...
, the only change being the correction of certain false doctrines which had crept in since the formulation of the Augsburg Confession. The duke, assenting to the rejection of Osiandrianism, readily agreed, and on 6 May Mörlin and Chemnitz gave him their ''Repetitio corporis doctrinae Christianae'', refuting Osiandrianism, Synergism, Antinomianism, Majorism, and similar teachings. Accepted by the synod and the estates, the ''Repetitio'' was proclaimed by Albert on 8 July 1567 and Prussia was at last free from theological rancor.
Becomes Bishop of Samland
Though offered the
bishopric of Samland
The Diocese of Samland (Sambia) (, ) was a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Sambia Peninsula, Samland (Sambia) in Prussia (region), medieval Prussia. It was founded in 1243 by papal legate William of Modena. Its seat was Königsberg, ...
, and though urged by clergy and laity alike to remain in Prussia, Mörlin still felt bound to Brunswick. Accordingly, promised by the estates (8 June 1567) that no Calvinists should be allowed at court, he returned to Brunswick. But his stay there was brief, and he was unexpectedly released. Learning that a patricide had been let go free, both he and Chemmtz sharply upbraided the magistracy in a sermon on 13 July, and were cited to appear before the court. Under these circumstances the envoys of Albert succeeded in inducing the council, unwilling though it was even then, to let Mörlin go (on 24 September 1567). He was now declared bishop of Samland, while Chemnitz was made superintendent. Henceforth until his death, in his new office, Mörlin was active in preaching and catechizing, never ceasing to polemize against
Philippists
The Philippists formed a party in early Lutheranism. Their opponents were called Gnesio-Lutherans.
Before Luther's death
''Philippists'' was the designation usually applied in the latter half of the sixteenth century to the followers of Phi ...
, Synergists, and, above all,
Calvinist
Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...
s. He died, aged 57, in Königsberg.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morlin, Joachim
1514 births
1571 deaths
People from Wittenberg
Lutheran bishops of Samland
German Lutheran theologians
Clergy from Saxony-Anhalt
German male non-fiction writers
16th-century Lutheran bishops in Prussia