Franz Posset. Front-Runner of the Catholic Reformation: The Life and Works of Johann von Staupitz. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2003. xxii + 398 pp. $104.95, cloth, ISBN 978-0-7546-0866-0. Reviewed by Wilfried Enderle Published on H-German (August, 2004) As an influential mentor of Martin Luther, Jo‐ he also provides the Reformation historian with hann von Staupitz is a well-known fgure for ev‐ interesting details and insights. ery Reformation historian. Many more outside the In retrospect one can see how closely Staupitz historical profession will probably associate the was connected with the context of the later Refor‐ figure of Staupitz with the renowned German ac‐ mation from his childhood on. Probably born be‐ tor Bruno Ganz who portrayed him--impressively tween 1463 and 1468, he was educated at the as always--in the recent movie about Luther. same school for the local nobility at Grimma, Sax‐ While generally this flm was a rather ambiguous ony, as the later duke of Saxony and elector Fred‐ attempt at popularizing Reformation history, the erick the Wise--a circumstance obviously not contrary is true for Franz Posset's scholarly, well- without importance for the early Reformation. Af‐ founded biographical and theological study of ter studying at Leipzig and Cologne, Staupitz en‐ Staupitz as "the front-runner of Catholic Reforma‐ tered the Augustinian order, probably at the Mu‐ tion" (p. xiii). Even though scholarly research over nich friary, which belonged to its observant the last century has produced a considerable branch. Soon he revealed himself to be a skilled number of articles and books about Staupitz, as a theologian and ambitious church politician. In bibliographical compilation published some years 1497, he matriculated at the University of Tuebin‐ ago by Posset and Rudolf K. Markwald shows, Pos‐ gen, where the university and the local Augustini‐ set delivers the complete biography of this emi‐ an friary were in close cooperation. Only a year nent church reformer and theologian of early later, Staupitz had worked his way up to the office modern Germany.[1] The author insists on having of prior. In 1504 Frederick the Wise called for his written "a theological biography written by a lay schoolmate Staupitz to help him develop the re‐ theologian for other theologians and for histori‐ cently founded university at Wittenberg. Now ans" and, furthermore, sees his main concern as Staupitz could hark back to his earlier experi‐ "bring[ing] forth Staupitz's 'Catholic spirituality'" ences, for example, by taking the constitution of (p. xv). Due to his mainly chronological approach, H-Net Reviews the University of Tuebingen as the model for Wit‐ about one hundred of them had studied. It is well- tenberg. Besides his duties as professor for bibli‐ known that Augustinians stood in the forefront as cal studies at Wittenberg and his efforts in orga‐ preachers of the new Lutheran theology and re‐ nizing the university--as well as converting the form ideas. Augustinians' outpost at Wittenberg into a full fri‐ Most scholars have suggested the growth of a ary--Staupitz assumed from 1503 to 1520 the of‐ certain alienation between Staupitz and Luther as fice of Vicar General of the Reformed (Observan‐ the Reformation movement gained momentum, a tine) branch of the Augustinians. From 1509 to view apparently corroborated by Staupitz's aban‐ 1512 he simultaneously held the position of pro‐ donment of his position as vicar general and per‐ vincial of the conventual Augustinians of the Sax‐ manent settlement at Salzburg in 1520. In 1522, on province. In this function he had opportunities Staupitz left the order to become abbot of St. Pe‐ to act as patron to younger members of his order ter's, an old and established Benedictine cloister by sending them, for example, to Wittenberg for there. Posset, in contrast, emphasizes that their studies. For most historians Staupitz's repu‐ Staupitz and Luther formed a theological united tation mainly derived from the fact that one of the front even after 1520. This argument was under‐ younger friars sent from Erfurt to Wittenberg had lined by Luther himself, who held his friend in been Martin Luther--who succeeded Staupitz as high regard for his entire life and repeatedly men‐ professor of biblical studies in Wittenberg. In ad‐ tioned and praised him in his Tischreden as well dition to these positions within the order, Staupitz as in his lectures. Such remarks documented how regularly assumed preaching responsibilities, deeply Staupitz had impressed him. How the rela‐ mostly during Lent, in Nuremberg, Munich, and tionship between Luther and Staupitz might have Salzburg. The latter gradually became his pre‐ developed in the long run can only be the topic of ferred residence. speculation, because only two years after his in‐ From 1517 to 1520 Staupitz was directly in‐ vestiture as Benedictine Abbot, Staupitz died--on volved in the early events of the Reformation due December 28, 1524. In contrast to Luther, Staupitz to his close relationship to Luther. Posset argues consciously remained within the old church. Even that even Luther's famous ninety-five theses on if he shared theological premises with Luther, indulgences were probably inspired and support‐ Staupitz, as a member of the Saxon nobility, nei‐ ed by Staupitz, with whom Luther conducted in‐ ther cut his ties with the social groups from which tensive discussions during 1517 about the theolog‐ he originated nor with the old church. In general, ical implications of the issue. Again, it was he seemed more deliberate about his social posi‐ Staupitz who invited Luther to a disputation of his tion within the career framework of the Church. theology on the occasion of the Augustinian chap‐ From 1514 to 1516, for example, he tried in vain ter meeting in April 1518. There Luther success‐ to become successor of Berthold Pürstinger as fully presented his theological positions and bishop of Chiemsee and, as Posset speculates, he gained his frst supporters outside of Wittenberg, probably enjoyed being abbot of such a presti‐ like Martin Bucer and Johannes Brenz. And once gious convent. While there, he also acted as offi‐ more, it was Staupitz (as Luther's patron and cial adviser to Cardinal Matthäus Lang. friend) who rushed to Augsburg, where Cardinal Even if Posset puts some emphasis on Cajetan as papal nuncio personally tried to con‐ Staupitz's contribution to the Lutheran Reforma‐ vince Luther to recant his views as heretical. Seen tion, his main thesis is clearly outlined in the more broadly, Staupitz paved the way for Luther book's title: Staupitz was the front-runner of the by building a network of reform-minded younger Catholic Reformation (and not, one should note, of Augustinian friars centered at Wittenberg, where 2 H-Net Reviews Catholic Reform). These events are to be consid‐ [1]. Rudolf K. Markwald and Franz Posset, 125 ered a Reformation because Staupitz's main theo‐ years of Staupitz Research (since 1867). An Anno‐ logical concepts and ideas about church reform tated Bibliography of Studies on Johannes von were close to Luther's. They constitute a Catholic Staupitz (C.1468 - 1524)_ (St. Louis: Center for Ref‐ Reformation because Staupitz tried to realize his ormation Research, 1995). reform concepts within the constitutional frame‐ work of the Old Church and never thought about going beyond its boundaries. Staupitz failed even with his most modest plan, that of uniting the con‐ ventual and observantine branches of the Augus‐ tinian order, whereas Luther produced a funda‐ mental upheaval of the Church and religion in early modern Europe. What makes Posset's book worth reading for the historian is not only his thorough analysis of Staupitz's theology and concepts of reform con‐ cepts, but also the detailed documentation of Staupitz's close involvement in the early Reforma‐ tion process. Along the way, by describing Staupitz as one of the most outstanding represen‐ tatives of church reform in the beginning of the sixteenth century in Germany, the author shows how the organization of an order like the Augus‐ tinians worked in everyday life. He illuminates Staupitz not only as a theologian and preacher, but also as the busy manager and political leader of an early modern religious organization--a man who spent much more time travelling from monastery to monastery and hurrying from one preaching assignment to the next than in the tran‐ quillity of a cloister. Moreover, we see how Staupitz worked and acted within a carefully wo‐ ven social and political network of friars as well as nobles and patricians of larger cities. In Nuremberg, for example, the existence of a Staupitz sodality which included such outstanding figures as Willibald Pirckheimer, Christoph Scheurl, or Albrecht Duerer points to the impor‐ tance of an accurate assessment of Johann von Staupitz's historical impact. For all these reasons, this "theological biography" deserves the interest of historians as well. Note 3 H-Net Reviews If there is additional discussion of this review, you may access it through the network, at https://networks.h-net.org/h-german Citation: Wilfried Enderle. Review of Posset, Franz. Front-Runner of the Catholic Reformation: The Life and Works of Johann von Staupitz. H-German, H-Net Reviews. August, 2004. URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=9727 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. 4.