Martin Moller (10 November 1547 – 2 March 1606) was a German

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

and mystic.

Life

Moller was born in Ließnitz (now Kropstädt near Wittenberg,

Saxony-Anhalt Saxony-Anhalt ( ; ) is a States of Germany, state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia and Lower Saxony. It covers an area of and has a population of 2.17 million inhabitants, making it the List of German states ...

) in 1547 and became

cantor A cantor or chanter is a person who leads people in singing or sometimes in prayer. Cantor as a profession generally refers to those leading a Jewish congregation, although it also applies to the lead singer or choir director in Christian contexts. ...

in Löwenberg in Lower Silesia in 1568. He was ordained in 1572, despite never having been to university, and served as pastor and

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Cathol ...

in Kesseldorf, Löwenberg and Sprottau. He came to

Görlitz Görlitz (; ; ; ; ; Lusatian dialects, East Lusatian: , , ) is a town in the Germany, German state of Saxony. It is on the river Lusatian Neisse and is the largest town in Upper Lusatia, the second-largest town in the region of Lusatia after ...

in 1600, where

Jakob Böhme Jakob Böhme (; ; 24 April 1575 – 17 November 1624) was a German philosopher, Christian mysticism, Christian mystic, and Lutheran Protestant Theology, theologian. He was considered an original thinker by many of his contemporaries within the L ...

was in his congregation. Böhme was a keen attendant at the devotional meetings Moller held at his house; only after Moller's death at

in 1606 did Böhme start coming into conflict with the Görlitz clergy.

Works

Moller's works characterise him as a conciliatory theologian rather than one who, like Böhme, looked to provoke conflict. Practical

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

, not

dogma Dogma, in its broadest sense, is any belief held definitively and without the possibility of reform. It may be in the form of an official system of principles or doctrines of a religion, such as Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, or Islam ...

, was important to him. As such, he can be regarded as a forerunner of Johann Arndt. He was suspected of Crypto-Calvinist sympathies after publishing his ''Praxis evangeliorum'' in 1601 and did little to refute these claims. Other well-known works of devotional literature written by Moller include ''Meditationes Sanctorum Patrum'' (1584–1591), ''Soliloquia de passione Jesu Christi'' (1587) and ''Mysterium magnum'' (1597). All of these works show clearly how Moller was influenced by another German theologian with links to mysticism, Valerius Herberger. He also wrote several

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...

s, four of which survive in today's German

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

hymnal A hymnal or hymnary is a collection of hymns, usually in the form of a book, called a hymnbook (or hymn book). They are used in congregational singing. A hymnal may contain only hymn texts (normal for most hymnals for most centuries of Christia ...

s. He is, however, of greater importance as a source for other hymn-writers. His ''Meditationes Sanctorum Patrum'', a bipartite collection of prayers purportedly based on writings of

Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; ; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430) was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply influenced the development of Western philosop ...

Bernard of Clairvaux Bernard of Clairvaux, Cistercians, O.Cist. (; 109020 August 1153), venerated as Saint Bernard, was an abbot, Mysticism, mystic, co-founder of the Knights Templar, and a major leader in the reform of the Benedictines through the nascent Cistercia ...

and

Anselm of Canterbury Anselm of Canterbury OSB (; 1033/4–1109), also known as (, ) after his birthplace and () after his monastery, was an Italian Benedictine monk, abbot, philosopher, and theologian of the Catholic Church, who served as Archbishop of Canterb ...

(though actually these texts were probably pseudo-Augustinian and -Bernardian, written much later in the style of the

Church Fathers The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were ancient and influential Christian theologians and writers who established the intellectual and doctrinal foundations of Christianity. The historical peri ...

), provided Johann Heermann with a basis for many of the hymns in his ''Devoti musica cordis''.

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...

wrote two

chorale cantata A chorale cantata is a church cantata based on a chorale—in this context a Lutheran chorale. It is principally from the Germany, German Baroque music, Baroque era. The organizing principle is the words and music of a Lutheran hymn. Usually a chor ...

s on hymns by Moller or attributed to him, ''Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid'', BWV 3, and ''Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott'', BWV 101.

References

* Elke Axmacher: ''Praxis Evangeliorum: Theologie und Frömmigkeit bei Martin Moller (1547–1606)''. (Forschungen zur Kirchen- und Dogmengeschichte, 43), Berlin: Kirchliche Hochschule, 1986; Göttingen 1989. * Carl Hitzeroth, ''Johann Heermann (1585–1647): Ein Beitrag der Geschichte der geistlichen Lyrik im siebzehnten Jahrhundert'', Marburg: Elwert, 1907 * Carl-Alred Zell, ''Untersuchungen zum Problem der geistlichen Barocklyrik mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Dichtung Johann Heermanns (1585–1647)'', Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, 1971

External links

Jacob Boehme Online: Moller's influence on Boehme
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moller, Martin 1547 births 1606 deaths 16th-century German poets 16th-century German male writers 16th-century German writers 16th-century Christian mystics German Lutherans German Lutheran hymnwriters Protestant mystics German male poets People from Wittenberg Early modern Christian devotional writers 16th-century Lutheran theologians 17th-century Lutheran theologians