Berndt Hamm. Lazarus Spengler (1479-1534): Der NÖ¼rnberger Ratsschreiber im Spannungsfeld von Humanismus und Reformation, Politik und Glaube. bingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2004. xii + 472 pp. EUR 89.00, cloth, ISBN 978-3-16-148249-6.

Reviewed by Ronald K. Rittgers

Published on H-German (July, 2005)

Berndt Hamm, Professor of Modern Church ture of the transition from late medieval to early History at the theological faculty of the University modern Christianity. of Erlangen, is one of the most important and Hamm has contributed two signifcant inter‐ original scholars of late medieval and early mod‐ pretive constructs to the scholarly discourse on ern German Christianity. His work has long been late medieval and early modern religious life: praised by German-speaking scholars and is gain‐ Frömmigskeitstheologie and normative Zen‐ ing increasing recognition among English-speak‐ trierung. Bast has defned the former as Hamm's ing historians. Brill has recently published a col‐ "designation for a genre of late medieval writing lection of Hamm's essays under the title The Ref‐ and praxis, much of it derived from and directed ormation of Faith in the Context of Late Medieval toward pastoral care, which was especially con‐ Theology and Piety (2004). This volume, edited by cerned with the pursuit of an authentic Christian Robert J. Bast, attests to Hamm's signifcance for life as defned by the values and institutions of the Reformation scholarship on both sides of the At‐ day."[1] The term indicates Hamm's interest in the lantic. Hamm's work encompasses an impressive intersection between theology and lived experi‐ range of subjects, everything from the fner points ence and grows out of his work on fgures like of late medieval and Reformation soteriology to Jean Gerson, Johannes Paltz, and Johannes von the guiding assumptions of early modern burgher Staupitz. Normative Zentrierung refers to the at‐ mentalities. His overall intellectual project has tempt of civic and religious leaders to discover a been to understand the lines of continuity and universal norm or spiritual principle that would discontinuity between late medieval and early shape all spheres of existence in the res publica, modern religious life. His work has been charac‐ beginning with the conscience of the individual terized by an exceptional degree of sophistication, and working out to the life of the whole communi‐ creativity, and fair-mindedness. As few others, ty. It was hoped that the discovery and establish‐ Hamm has been able to discern the complex na‐ ment of this norm would have a civilizing--that is H-Net Reviews to say, Christianizing--efect on human society it. He was arguably one of the most important lay that would ensure unity and peace (p. 176). fgures in the German Reformation. Hamm frst came to the idea of normative Zen‐ Hamm began his study of Spengler in the late trierung while studying the works of Nuremberg's 1970s and has been publishing essays on him to infuential Ratsschreiber, Lazarus Spengler (p. the present day. Lazarus Spengler is a collection viii). of these essays; it is not a biography (p. vii). All Lazarus Spengler was a lay leader of the Ref‐ but one of the ten chapters have appeared previ‐ ormation in Nuremberg whom Luther credited ously (see pp. 444-445). There is an older and still with planting the evangelical movement in the very useful German biography of Spengler: Hans prominent imperial city. According to the Tischre‐ von Schubert, Lazarus Spengler und die Reforma‐ den, Luther once asserted, "Doktor Lazarus Spen‐ tion in Nürnberg, edited by Hajo Holborn, gler allein hat das Evangelium in Nürnberg Quellen und Forschungen zur Reformations‐ eingeführt and er allein hat erreicht, daÃ? es geschichte 17 (Leipzig, 1934). Hamm does not seek dort bis heute Bestand hat" (quoted, p. 204). Spen‐ to update or complete this work (Schubert only gler, who was city council secretary in Nurem‐ traced Spengler's life to 1524). Rather, the Erlan‐ berg from 1507 to his death in 1534, became en‐ gen church historian ofers this collection of es‐ amored of Luther's teaching as early as the late says as an accompaniment to the critical edition 1510s while participating in an elite circle of hu‐ of Spengler's writings that he and a small team of manists that had access to the reformer's work. scholars are currently preparing. Out of a The council secretary authored the frst lay evan‐ planned four volumes, two have appeared.[2] gelical pamphlet, the popular Schutzrede für Hamm rightly observes that until the critical edi‐ Luthers Lehre (1519), which contributed to his be‐ tion is completed, it would be premature for him ing named on the papal bull excommunicating or anyone else to attempt a full biography of Luther. (Spengler's name was later struck from Spengler. The only English biography of Spengler, the bull, though he continued to publish pro- Harold J. Grimm's Lazarus Spengler: A Lay Lead‐ Luther pamphlets and hymns.) Using his position er of the Reformation (1978), was written without of infuence in the imperial city to great efect, the beneft of Hamm's critical edition, and while it Spengler played a defning role in the spread and may still serve as a helpful introduction, it must eventual institutionalization of the Reformation be considered out-of-date. both in Nuremberg and in other southern Ger‐ The essays in Hamm's volume cover a variety man cities. In addition to being chief secretary to of topics: Spengler's humanism; his relationship the patrician council that governed Nuremberg, with Albrecht Dürer (the only new essay in the Spengler also served as a diplomat to numerous collection); his stance on Spiritualism and anti‐ imperial and regional diets at which he represent‐ clericalism; his relationship with Luther; his role ed the city's political and religious interests. A in the formation of early evangelical confessions passionate reader of evangelical theology, Spen‐ of faith; and his attempt to construct the religious, gler nevertheless possessed no formal theological political, legal, and social life of Nuremberg training, having studied law for a time at the Uni‐ around Reformation Christianity. The fnal essay, versity of Leipzig. He was a humanist turned chapter 10, treats in detail Hamm's notion of Nor‐ evangelical who possessed an unwavering com‐ mative Zentrierung. It is not possible here to sum‐ mitment to the Reformation along with the marize each of the ten chapters in full. A domi‐ means, both personal and political, of promoting nant theme that runs through the essays, howev‐ er, illustrates very well the importance and origi‐

2 H-Net Reviews nality of Hamm's work: the tension (Spannung) After his conversion in the late 1510s, Spen‐ between Spengler's commitment to traditional gler looked to the evangelical faith to meet the burgher religion and his even deeper commit‐ needs previously met by burgher religion. He ment to the evangelical creed that challenged its thought he had found in the Reformation the uni‐ very foundation. As Hamm puts it, "[Spengler] versal norm or spiritual principle that would f‐ pfegt die bürgerliche Religion und überschre‐ nally allow the dream of an authentically Chris‐ itet sie zugleich" (p. 202). tian commune to become a reality. (Hamm em‐ Prior to his conversion to the evangelical phasizes that Spengler consistently followed faith, Spengler had been a strong proponent of Zwingli rather than Luther in his political burgher religion. He believed that religion should thought; pp. 197, 245.) The Word, owing to its clar‐ serve as the foundation and integrating principle ity, simplicity, and divine origin would act as the of a Christian commune and the way it did so was central focus of this new society, and faith alone, by harnessing the divine for the Gemeine Nutzen. as the proper use of the Word, would free human As burghers employed their native reason and beings to love and serve their neighbors (p. 180). free will to please and placate the divine, they be‐ But a problem arose with this evangelical norm: lieved God would bestow material and spiritual in addition to leaving burghers "naked" before blessing on their city. Hamm notes how this do-ut- God with nothing to ofer but faith, itself a gift (p. des mentality represents a very interesting con‐ 310), the new creed could not actually promise vergence between the defning values of Nurem‐ prosperity to those who adopted it; in fact, Spen‐ berg's political, economic, religious, and intellec‐ gler thought evangelical communities should ex‐ tual life. The humanist emphasis on Bescheiden‐ pect just the opposite--adversity (p. 196). Hamm heit (baptized stoicism) ft well with the calculat‐ observes that this emphasis on living under the ing cast of mind present in mercantilism and cross (that is, persecution) marked a clear depar‐ much late medieval piety, all of which was direct‐ ture from the concern of traditional burgher reli‐ ed toward securing the common good of the sa‐ gion to secure divine favor for the commune (p. cred commune (pp. 50-51). Spengler's encounter 199). Spengler thought the Reformation would ul‐ frst with Staupitz and then with Luther caused timately bring God's blessing to Nuremberg, but him to reject the quid pro quo mentality inherent serving the Gemeine Nutzen was no longer the in burgher religion and instead embrace the secretary's driving concern--being faithful to the evangelical belief in the completely unconditional Word was, come what may (p. 200). nature of divine favor (p. 199).[3] Augustine re‐ In this volume, Hamm provides scholars with placed Jerome as Spengler's "patron saint." Hamm a stimulating tour of his work on Spengler's ten‐ is careful to note that there was already a strong sion-flled relationship with burgher religion and trend in late medieval piety toward emphasizing evangelical faith. Hamm also provides a tantaliz‐ God's mercy over God's wrath, but he still insists ing foretaste of the full biography we hope he will that Luther ofered something new in his doctrine write in the future. of justifcation by faith. Spengler certainly had not Notes found sufcient consolation for his conscience in [1]. Berndt Hamm, The Reformation of Faith late medieval piety, nor had he found an adequate in the Context of Late Medieval Theology and foundation for the Christian commune. Late me‐ Piety. ed. Robert J. Bast (Leiden: Brill, 2004), p. xv. dieval religion left him anxious and in need of greater spiritual assurance, both for himself and [2]. Berndt Hamm and Wolfgang Huber, eds. his larger community. Lazarus Spengler Schriften, Band 1 (Gütersloh: Gütersloher Verlagshaus, 1995); Berndt Hamm,

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Wolfgang Huber, and Gudrun Litz, eds. Lazarus Spengler Schriften, Band 2 (Gütersloh: Güter‐ sloher Verlagshaus, 1999). [3]. Hamm, Reformation of Faith, p. 283.

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Citation: Ronald K. Rittgers. Review of Hamm, Berndt. Lazarus Spengler (1479-1534): Der NÖ¼rnberger Ratsschreiber im Spannungsfeld von Humanismus und Reformation, Politik und Glaube. H-German, H- Net Reviews. July, 2005.

URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=10783

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