Theodor Undereyck (born 15 June 1635 in

Duisburg Duisburg (; , ) is a city in the Ruhr metropolitan area of the western States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Lying on the confluence of the Rhine (Lower Rhine) and the Ruhr (river), Ruhr rivers in the center of the Rhine-Ruh ...

, died 1 January 1693 in

Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (, ), is the capital of the States of Germany, German state of the Bremen (state), Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (), a two-city-state consisting of the c ...

) was a

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 ...

pastor A pastor (abbreviated to "Ps","Pr", "Pstr.", "Ptr." or "Psa" (both singular), or "Ps" (plural)) is the leader of a Christianity, Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutherani ...

, spiritual writer and pioneer of

pietism Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christianity, Christian life. Although the movement is ali ...

in the

German Reformed Church The Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS) is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. The present RCUS is a conservative, Reformed denomination. It affirms the principles of the Reformation: '' Sola scriptura'' (Script ...

. Theodor Undereyck was born in 1635, the son of businessman Gerhard Undereyck and his wife Sara, née Salanger. After the death of his parents in 1636 by the plague, he grew up as an orphan in the house of his uncle Johann Undereyck in Alstaden. From 1653 to 1658 he studied

Protestant theology Protestant theology refers to the doctrines held by various Protestant traditions, which share some things in common but differ in others. In general, Protestant theology, as a subset of Christian theology, holds to faith in the Christian Bible, t ...

Utrecht Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...

, and

Leiden Leiden ( ; ; in English language, English and Archaism, archaic Dutch language, Dutch also Leyden) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Nethe ...

, under, among others, Gisbert Voetius and

Johannes Cocceius Johannes Cocceius (also Coccejus; 9 August 1603 – 5 November 1669) was a Dutch theologian born in Bremen. Life After studying at Hamburg and the University of Franeker, where Sixtinus Amama was one of his teachers, he became in 1630 profess ...

. His teachers were partly contrary to one another, but were orthodox Reformed theologians and representatives of continuing reformation. In particular Cocceius strongly influenced him in the direction of a federally theological thought, so that he was also considered one of the major catechists of Coccejanism. Voetius influenced him in the direction of a puritanical way of life and its emphasis on the importance of

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

conventicles A conventicle originally meant "an assembly" and was frequently used by ancient writers to mean "a church." At a semantic level, ''conventicle'' is a Latinized synonym of the Greek word for ''church'', and references Jesus' promise in Matthew 18: ...

. From 1658 to 1659 Undereyck undertook a study trip to

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, and

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. In 1660, he became pastor of the Reformed church in

Mülheim an der Ruhr Mülheim, officially Mülheim an der Ruhr (, ; ; ) and also described as ''"City on the River"'', is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany. It is located in the Ruhr Area between Duisburg, Essen, Oberhausen and Ratingen. It is home ...

. There in about 1661 he led one of the first

Pietist Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christianity, Christian life. Although the movement is ali ...

conventicles in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. From 1668 he was an associate court preacher in

Kassel Kassel (; in Germany, spelled Cassel until 1926) is a city on the Fulda River in North Hesse, northern Hesse, in Central Germany (geography), central Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Kassel (region), Kassel and the d ...

to Landgravine Hedwig Sophie (1623–1683). In 1670 he became pastor at St. Martin's Church in Bremen and remained so until his death. Despite initial difficulties with the

clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

, his ministry helped the breakthrough of

Pietism Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christianity, Christian life. Although the movement is ali ...

. His followers

Joachim Neander Joachim Neander (165031 May 1680) was a German Reformed (Calvinist) Church teacher, theologian and hymnwriter whose most famous hymn, '' Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation'' () has been described by John Julian in his '' A ...

and Cornelius de Hare (whose

funeral sermon A Christian funeral sermon is a formal religious oration or address given at a funeral ceremony, or sometimes a short time after, which may combine elements of eulogy with biographical comments and expository preaching. To qualify as a sermon, it sh ...

provides biographical information on Undereyck) translated and continued Undereyck's work. Undereyck published 5 books, including two

catechisms A catechism (; from , "to teach orally") is a summary or exposition of doctrine and serves as a learning introduction to the Sacraments traditionally used in catechesis, or Christian religious teaching of children and adult converts. Catechisms ...

and a lay dogmatics, in which he conveyed the ideas of the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

and

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

Reformed theology to German-speaking readers in edifying language. He dedicated his most extensive and sophisticated writing to the fight against emerging

atheism Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the Existence of God, existence of Deity, deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the ...

Age of Enlightenment The Age of Enlightenment (also the Age of Reason and the Enlightenment) was a Europe, European Intellect, intellectual and Philosophy, philosophical movement active from the late 17th to early 19th century. Chiefly valuing knowledge gained th ...

Works

* ''Christi Braut/ Unter den Töchtern zu Laodicaea/ Das ist/ Ein hochnöthiger Tractat/ In diesen letzten Tagen. Darinnen Die lebendige Krafft des seeligmachenden Glaubens von allen Schmach=Reden der in dieser Zeit Christ=scheinender Spötter/ nicht nur auß H. Schrifft: sondern auch auß gleichlautenden Zeugnüssen der darin gottseelig erfahrnen und Gott gelährten Männern gereiniget und verthädiget wird''. Hanau 1670; 2. Auflage Cassel 1697 * ''Wegweiser der Einfältigen zu den ersten Buchstaben des wahren Christentums, meistenteils nach der Ordnung der fünf Hauptstück Christlicher Religion''. Bremen 1676 * ''Hallelujah/ Das ist/ GOTT in dem Sünder verkläret. Oder Des sünders Wanderstab zur Erkäntnüs/ Geniessung/ und Verklärung GOTTes/ alß des höchsten Gutes''. Bremen 1678; 2. Auflage Herborn 1722; holländische Übers. 1684; dt. Auszug u.d.T: Eheliches Ja-Wort der gläubigen Seele. Hrsg. von Ch. Staehelin. Bern 1719; 2. Auflage Bern 1731 * ''Der Einfältige Christ/ Durch wahren Glauben mit Christo vereinigt/ und nach offt begangenem Mißbrauch/ zu dem rechten Gebrauch des H. Abendmahls/ daß Der Herr Jesus wird ..mit Feuerflammen Rache üben/ über die so GOtt nicht erkennen/ und nicht gehorsam sind dem Euangelio unsers HErrn Jesu Christi/ 2. Thesal. 1,8 ..'. Bremen 1681; 2. Auflage Eschwege 1700 * ''Der Närrische Atheist/ Entdeckt und seiner Thorheit überzeuget/ In Zwey Theilen In dem Ersten/ Als ein solcher/ der da wissentlich willens und vorsetzlich/ ihme selbst und anderen/ die Gedancken/ welche sie von GOtt haben/ nehmen wil. In dem Zweyten/ Als ein solcher/ der da unwissend und ungemerckt/ auch unter dem Schein des wahren Christenthums/ ohne GOtt in der Welt lebet''. Bremen 1689; 2. Auflage Bremen 1722; holländische Übersetzung Amsterdam 1702.

Bibliography

* Do-Hong Jou: ''Theodor Undereyck und die Anfänge des reformierten Pietismus''. Brockmeyer, Bochum 1994 * (with detailed bibliography).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Undereyck, Theodor German Calvinist and Reformed ministers 1635 births 1693 deaths People from Duisburg German theologians