The Controversy Over Original Sin in Late Sixteenth-Century Mansfeld
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Heretics in Luther's homeland: The controversy over original sin in late sixteenth-century Mansfeld Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Christman, Robert John Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 06/10/2021 03:07:30 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/290025 HERETICS IN LUTHE,R'S HOMELAND: THE CONTROVERSY OVER ORIGINAL SIN IN LATE SIXTEENTH-CENTURY MANSFELD by Robert John Christman Copyright © Robert John Christman 2 0 0 4 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2004 UMI Number: 3131590 Copyright 2004 by Christman, Robert John All rights reserved. INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI UMI Microform 3131590 Copyright 2004 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 2 The University of Arizona ® Graduate College As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Robert J. Christman entitled Heretics 1n Luther's Homeland: The Controversy Over Original Sin in Late Sixteenth-Century Mansfeld and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Susan C. Karant-Nunn date S, /3 9 A / Alan Bernstein ^ / date 3 date Helen Nader date date Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copies of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recom^nd that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. Dissertation Director: Susan C. KaraV-Nunn ( 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without,special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation fi"om or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES 7 LIST OF TABLES 8 ABSTRACT 9 INTRODUCTION 11 I. The Event 11 II. The Purposes of this Study 13 III. The Plan of this Study 20 CHAPTER ONE: THE COUNTY OF MANSFELD 24 I. Mansfeld in the Sixteenth Century 24 A. A Tale of Two Cities 24 B. Life Between the Hapsburgs and the Wettins 27 C. "The Majority of the People Are Miners" 30 II. The Church in Mansfeld: From Rome to Wittenberg 37 A. The Pre-Reformation Church 37 B. The Reformation 38 C. Establishing a Post-Reformation Identity 46 D. Guardians of Luther's Legacy: The Mansfeld Pastorate's 56 Conservative Stance in the Mid-Century Theological Debates HI. The Counts and the Schmalkald War: Religio/Political 60 Differences Crystallize IV. Conclusion 66 CHAPTER TWO: THE THEOLOGIANS AND PASTORS 67 I. Introduction: Objectives and Plan of this Section 67 II. Flacius and the Origins of the Controversy over Original Sin ....71 A. The Weimar Colloquium of 1560 71 B. Clavis Scripturae: Flacius's Mature View of Original Sin 88 C. The Reception of Flacius's Position after the Clavis Scripturae....9% HI. The End of Unity Among the County's Pastorate 101 A. The Mansfelders and the Eislebeners 101 B. The Weimar Colloquium II (1570) 102 C. The Controversy Enters the County 105 D. The Eisleben Colloquium (1572): The Breaking Point 107 IV. The Mansfelders: A Closer Look Ill A. Plan of the section Ill B. The Mansfelders' Position on Original Sin 113 C. The Mansfelders' Program: Egalitarianism in the 135 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont.) Understanding of Theology D. The Mansfelders and The Laity 156 V. The Eislebeners: A Closer Look 172 A. Introduction 172 B. The Eislebeners' Position on Original Sin 174 C. The Program of the Eislebeners 196 D. The Eislebeners' Handling of the Laity: Practical Aspects 208 VL The Theologians of Mansfeld and their Socio-Political Matrix .. 224 A. The Mansfelders 224 B. Chart of Clergymen who took the Mansfelder Position 238 C. The Eislebeners 240 D. Chart of Clergymen who took the Eislebener Position 246 VII. Conclusion 246 CHAPTER THREE: THE COUNTS 252 I. Introduction 252 II. Electoral Saxony's Bid for Control of Mansfeld 255 A. The Incident of 1567/8 257 B. The Vorderort Counts and the Elector 266 C. The Hinterort Line, The Princes, and the Controversy 281 over Original Sm D. The Mittelort: Count ChristofPs Displeasure (Ungnade) 295 before the Elector E. Conclusion 297 III. The Hinterort and Mittelort Counts: 298 Supporters of the Mansfelders A. Introduction 298 B. Guardians of the Reformation 300 C. The Content of Their Views and Perception of Themselves 307 D. Conclusion 324 IV. The Vorderort Counts: Supporters of the Eislebeners 325 A. Representatives of Albertine Saxony 325 B. Reasons for Sidiing with the Eislebeners 326 C. Conclusion 344 V. Conclusion 344 CHAPTER FOUR: THE MANSFELDER LAITY 349 I. Introduction 349 II. The Involvement of the Laity 353 A. The Sources 353 B. Breakdown of tlie Mansfelder Lay Adherents 358 C. Chart of Mansfelder Laity 364 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont.) D. Efforts to Establish a Shadow Church 369 III. The Commoners: Actions and Impulses 380 A. "Bistu een Accidenter oyder SubstansioserT" Doctrine 380 and Lay Opinion B. Splitting Skulls not Splitting Hairs: 418 Political Loyalties among the Laity C. "He was a learned man, one who did good deeds for the 438 poor people": Devotion to One's Own Pastor D. Er wille bey D. Luthers lehre bleiben: 448 The Parishioners' Association with Luther's Teachings E. The Right £ind Responsibility of the Laity to 464 Judge in Matters of Doctrine F. Ties of Family and Friendship 472 IV. Conclusion 479 CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION 485 I. Competing Visions of the Church 485 II. Lay Participation 490 HI. The Role of Belief in Shaping Early Modem Society 493 APPENDIX I: THE PASTORS OF MANSFELD INVOLVED 497 IN THE CONTROVERSY OVER ORIGINAL SIN APPENDIX H: INDEX OF MANSFELDER LAITY 521 APPENDIX III: REPORT ON DEBATE BETWEEN 567 TAL MANSFELD PASTORS AND LAITY BIBLIOGRAPHY 583 LIST OF MANUSCRIPTS CONSULTED 602 7 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1, Family Tree with Pertinent Mansfelder Counts 61 FIGURE 2, Diagram of Matthias Illyricus Flacius's 95 Understanding of Original Sin 8 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1, The Mansfelder Pastors 238 TABLE 2, The Eislebener Pastors ; 246 TABLE 3, The Occupations of the Mansfelder Laity 359 TABLE 4, The Mansfelder Laity 370 TABLE 5, Luther Citations Found in Lay Confessions 459 9 ABSTRACT During the early 1570s, a dispute over the theological definition of original sin rent the central German county of Mansfeld, homeland of Martin Luther. The controversy, initiated by Matthias Flacius Illyricus, divided the conservative Gnesio- Lutheran clergy into two hostile camps. One, led by the Superintendent Hieronymus Mencel, was centered in the city of Eisieben and rejected Flacius's definition of original sin. The other, centered in the city of Tal Mansfeld, was led by the powerful deacon, historian, and polemicist Cyriacus Spangenberg, and accepted Flacius's definition. This dissertation examines the central doctrinal premises over which these clerics fought, as well as their broader imj)lications for Lutheran theology, before turning to other social, political, and economic factors that influenced the clerics' decisions to side with one group or the other. But the controversy was not limited to the clergy. The counts of Mansfeld, numbering between seven and ten during the period and stemming from three dynastic lines, also split over the issue of original sin. One line sided with the group of clerics centered in Eisieben, two with the pastors headquartered in Tal Mansfeld. This study explores the involvement of the counts in the debate over doctrine, but also addresses the various political and other non-religious forces that caused them to split over the issue. With the pastors preaching and pamphleteering and the counts battling among themselves, it did not take long for the laity to become deeply involved and divided over the issue of original sin. Contemporary sources suggest that the miners of Mansfeld fought in the streets and taverns over the issue. This study explores how the clerics 10 articulated the debate to the laity, and the degree to which these commoners understood it. Furthermore, it explores social and other non-religious reasons why the laity took sides in this doctrinal debate. This dissertation argues that although a variety of forces were at play pushing members of these three groups - the clerics, counts, and commoners - in one direction or another, an interest in the doctrinal issue and its implications for wider theology was a motivating theme central to each group.