Stephan Agricola (c. 1491–1547)Concordia Cyclopedia article on Stephan Agricola
/ref> was a

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 ...

church reformer. Born in Abensberg, at a young age he joined the Augustinian order. As a

monk A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...

, he studied Augustine deeply.Henry Eyster Jacobs
Lutheran Cyclopedia
p. 6, "Agricola, Stephen" As a student, he went to the universities in Bologna and Venice, where in 1519 he became a

Doctor Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to: Titles and occupations * Physician, a medical practitioner * Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree ** Doctorate ** List of doctoral degrees awarded b ...

Theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

. He began to preach on whole books of the

Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...

in 1520. He was led to

Lutheranism 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 ...

through his study of Augustine's works on the scriptures. He was accused of Lutheranism as a heresy. Although he claimed his independence of Luther, he was arrested and imprisoned in Mühldorf on November 17, 1522. In 1523 he escaped and came to

Augsburg Augsburg ( , ; ; ) is a city in the Bavaria, Bavarian part of Swabia, Germany, around west of the Bavarian capital Munich. It is a College town, university town and the regional seat of the Swabia (administrative region), Swabia with a well ...

, where with Urbanus Rhegius he fully accepted the

Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...

and translated Johannes Bugenhagen's tract ''ag. Zwingjli'' into German. He was on the Lutheran side during the

Marburg Colloquy The Marburg Colloquy was a meeting at Marburg Castle, Marburg, Hesse, Germany, which attempted to solve a disputation between Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli over the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. It took place between 1 October and ...

, became pastor in Hof in 1532, took part in the meeting at Schmalkalden in 1537, and signed the Smalcald Articles.Smalcald Articles
trans. Bente and Dau, Triglot Concordia, (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921), pp.453-529. He was instrumental in introducing the Reformation in the Upper Palatinate, as he was pastor at Sulzbach beginning in 1542. During the

Schmalkaldic War The Schmalkaldic War (; July 1546May 1547) was fought within the territories of the Holy Roman Empire between the allied forces of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and Maurice, Duke of Saxony against the Lutheran Schmalkaldic League, with the forc ...

, he had to flee to

Eisleben Eisleben is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is famous as both the hometown of the influential theologian Martin Luther and the place where he died; hence, its official name is Lutherstadt Eisleben. First mentioned in the late 10th century ...

, where he died in old age on April 10–11, 1547. Stephen Agricola was a staunch uncompromising Lutheran, earnest and devoted. His son, Stephen, translated some of Luther's commentaries on the minor prophets.

Works

* Am köstlicher guther Sermon vom Sterben, Mühldorf 1523; * Artickel wider Dr. Stephan Castenpaur eingelegt, auch was er darauf geantwortet hat aus seinem Gefängnuss, o. O. 1523; * Ein Bedencken, wie der wahrhafftig Gottesdienst von Gott selbs geboten …, o. O. um 1524.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agricola, Stephan 1491 births 1547 deaths People from Abensberg 16th-century German Lutheran clergy German Lutheran theologians German Protestant Reformers German male non-fiction writers