Johannes Bugenhagen

Biography

Early life

Bugenhagen was born in Wollin (now Wolin), Duchy of Pomerania, on 24 June 1485 as one of three children of local Ratsherr Gerhard Bugenhagen. From 1502 to 1504, he studied artes at the University of Greifswald. In 1504, he moved to Treptow an der Rega (now Trzebiatów) and became the rector of the local school. Though he had not studied theology, he was ordained as a priest at St. Mary's Church in Treptow in 1509, and served as a vicar at the Kanonikerkolleg of that church thereafter. making him Martin Luther's pastor and confessor. He was a member of Luther's team translating the Holy Bible from Greek and Hebrew to German, and opened the debate on Ulrich Zwingli's reforms. (today Martin Luther University). In March 1524 the printer Adam Petri of Basel printed his "Interpretations of the Psalms" (Lat.Librum Psalmorum interpretatio) in the Latin language. The cover was cut after a drawing by Hans Holbein the Younger depicting biographical events of David’s life in relation to the New Testament. The book saw four further editions in the Latin language within half a year. Bugenhagen was regarded as one of the most important teachers and practitioners of biblical interpretation in the Wittenberg-centered Protestant Reformation, ordaining a generation of Lutheran pastors who were educated at this university. he was promoted doctor of theology at the university of Wittenberg, together with Johannes Aepinus and Kaspar Cruciger. The promotion was supervised by Martin Luther, based on Philipp Melanchthon's theses, financed and attended by Frederick III, Elector of Saxony, and formally granted by deacon Justus Jonas. With the ceremony in Wittenberg's castle church (Schloßkirche), the promotion of Aepinus had become necessary as the Hamburg burghers demanded their new superintendent to bear the title of a doctor. Melanchthon had written the speech for Jonas which laid the foundation of a Protestant doctorate, and Frederick III "the Wise" sponsored a subsequent celebration to introduce the new Protestant doctorate to the theological world. Lübeck (1530–1532), Braunschweig (1528),

This earned him later the epithet "Second Apostle of the North". Not only did he create the new rules, he also established them and persuaded people to follow them. Bugenhagen produced rules and regulations for religious service, for schooling, and for social issues of the church. In 1539, he became superintendent of the Lutheran Church in Saxony.

Also in 1539, Bugenhagen reformed the Pomeranian University of Greifswald, which he "re-founded" as a Protestant university, modelled after the university of Wittenberg.

Bugenhagen sought to inform the public that indulgences, not only done without God's word but against it.

Late life The grave of Johannes Bugenhagen in St. Mary's Church, Wittenberg After the death of Luther in 1546, Bugenhagen took care of Luther's widow and children. Bugenhagen died in Wittenberg in 1558 and was buried at St. Mary's Church (Stadtkirche Wittenberg). The church also contains a memorial painting to Bugenhagen by Lucas Cranach the Younger depicting the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan by John the Baptist (with the whole Bugenhagen family watching).

Other than for his theological opinions, Bugenhagen was also well known because of his organising ability. Bugenhagen was also appreciated for his work in making a Middle Low German translation of Luther's Bible in 1534.

Johannes Bugenhagen was always a pastor at heart, and because of his love for music, his family coat of arms shows a harp.

Family

His daughter Sara (died 1563) married Georg Cracow.