Stephan Agricola

Stephan Agricola (c. 1491–1547)^[1] was a Lutheran church reformer. Born in Abensberg, at a young age he joined the Augustinian order. As a monk, he studied Augustine deeply.^[2] As a student, he went to the universities in Bologna and Venice, where in 1519 he became a Doctor of Theology. He began to preach on whole books of the Bible in 1520.^[2] He was led to Lutheranism through his study of Augustine's works on the scriptures.^[3] He was accused of Lutheranism as a heresy.^[2] Although he claimed his independence of Luther, he was arrested and imprisoned in Mühldorf on November 17, 1522.^[2] In 1523 he escaped and came to Augsburg, where with Urbanus Rhegius he fully accepted the Reformation and translated Johannes Bugenhagen's tract ag. Zwingjli into German.^[2] He was on the Lutheran side during the Marburg Colloquy, became pastor in Hof in 1532,^[2] took part in the meeting at Schmalkalden in 1537,^[1] and signed the Smalcald Articles.^[4] He was instrumental in introducing the Reformation in the Upper Palatinate, as he was pastor at Sulzbach beginning in 1542.^[2] During the Schmalkaldic War, he had to flee to Eisleben,^[2] 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.^[2]

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