Johann Cochlaeus
Encyclopedia
Johann Cochlaeus (1479 – January 10, 1552) was a German
humanist
and controversialist.
), from which he obtained the punning surname Cochlaeus (spiral), for which he occasionally substituted Wendelstinus. Educated at Nuremberg by the humanist Heinrich Grieninger, he entered the University of Cologne
in 1504, and there associated with Hermann von Neuenahr, Ulrich von Hutten
, and other humanists. He also knew well Carl von Miltitz, who later became papal chamberlain
. In 1507 he graduated; he left Cologne in May 1510 to become schoolmaster at Nuremberg, where he brought out several school manuals.
During the years 1515-19 he traveled in Italy as tutor to three nephews of Willibald Pirkheimer. In 1515 he was at Bologna
, hearing (with disgust) Eck's disputation on the subject of usury
, and associating with von Hutten among the humanists. He took his doctor's degree at Ferrara
(1517), and spent some time in Rome
, where he was ordained priest.
In 1520 he became dean of the Liebfrauenkirche at Frankfurt
. He maintained good relations with the episcopal court of Mainz
and with Hieronymus Aleander of Worms, who applied to him for the purpose of a discussion on the best means of opposing Martin Luther
. Cochlaeus became a controversialist against the Lutherans. He was present at the Diet
s of Worms
(1521), and later at Speyer
(1526 and 1529), Augsburg
(1530) and Regensburg
(1541).
In the autumn of 1523 he went to Rome as he did not feel himself safe at Frankfurt, but returned early in 1524. Meanwhile his patrons and friends at Frankfort had joined the reformers. Cochlaeus accompanied Lorenzo Campeggio, the papal nuncio in Holy Roman Empire, to the Convention of Regensburg as interpreter and member of the commission which discussed the reform of the clergy. His position at Frankfurt becoming untenable during the German Peasants' War
, he fled to Cologne in 1525, and in 1526 received a canonry at St. Victor's in Mainz. He attended the Diet of Speyer in 1526, but his hope of holding a disputation with Luther was not fulfilled. In 1529 he became secretary to Duke George of Saxony
, at Dresden
and Meissen
. The death of his patron (1539) compelled him to take flight. In September 1539 he became canon at Breslau, where he died.
He published under the name of Wendelstein his first piece, In musicam exhortatorium (1507). His first theological works were De Utroque Sacerdotio (1520) and some smaller writings published in rapid succession. In During the following years he wrote tracts against Luther's principal theses on the doctrine of justification, on the freedom of the will, and on Catholic teaching in De Gratia Sacramentorum, 1522; De Baptismo parvulorum, 1523; A commentary on 154 Articles and others. Luther engaged with Cochlæus only in a single work, Adversus Armatum Virum Cocleum.
In his Colloqium Cochlaei cum Luthero, Cochlaeus reported on his discussion with Luther on April 24, 1521, about issues, such as the origin of Luther's doctrine of predestination
, the Eucharist
, and the authority of the Bible. After writing a series of pamphlets discussing the main themes of Luther's theology, Cochlaeus became convinced that any further argumentation with Luther was futile. Accordingly, instead of convincing Luther, Cochlaeus attempted to come to an agreement with Melanchthon at the Diet
of Augsburg
in 1530, but without much success.
His historical biography of Luther was popular and influential. It became a model and source for later
polemics, and the view expounded in it that the Protestant Reformation
was nothing but an incidental jealousy between the Dominican
and Augustinian orders had a wide circulation.
He left one of the few contemporary notices of the young Michael Servetus
as well as notes on Tyndale
's abortive attempt to print his New Testament
at Cologne
in 1525.
Attribution
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
and controversialist.
Life
Originally Johann Dobneck, he was born of poor parents at Wendelstein (near NurembergNuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
), from which he obtained the punning surname Cochlaeus (spiral), for which he occasionally substituted Wendelstinus. Educated at Nuremberg by the humanist Heinrich Grieninger, he entered the University of Cologne
University of Cologne
The University of Cologne is one of the oldest universities in Europe and, with over 44,000 students, one of the largest universities in Germany. The university is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, an association of Germany's leading research universities...
in 1504, and there associated with Hermann von Neuenahr, Ulrich von Hutten
Ulrich von Hutten
Ulrich von Hutten was a German scholar, poet and reformer. He was an outspoken critic of the Roman Catholic Church and a bridge between the humanists and the Lutheran Reformation...
, and other humanists. He also knew well Carl von Miltitz, who later became papal chamberlain
Papal chamberlain
Papal chamberlain was one of the highest honours that could be bestowed on a Catholic layman by the Pope, and was often given to members of noble families. It was mostly an honorary position, but a chamberlain served the Pope for one week per year during official ceremonies...
. In 1507 he graduated; he left Cologne in May 1510 to become schoolmaster at Nuremberg, where he brought out several school manuals.
During the years 1515-19 he traveled in Italy as tutor to three nephews of Willibald Pirkheimer. In 1515 he was at Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, hearing (with disgust) Eck's disputation on the subject of usury
Usury
Usury Originally, when the charging of interest was still banned by Christian churches, usury simply meant the charging of interest at any rate . In countries where the charging of interest became acceptable, the term came to be used for interest above the rate allowed by law...
, and associating with von Hutten among the humanists. He took his doctor's degree at Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
(1517), and spent some time in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he was ordained priest.
In 1520 he became dean of the Liebfrauenkirche at Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
. He maintained good relations with the episcopal court of Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
and with Hieronymus Aleander of Worms, who applied to him for the purpose of a discussion on the best means of opposing Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
. Cochlaeus became a controversialist against the Lutherans. He was present at the Diet
Diet (assembly)
In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...
s of Worms
Worms, Germany
Worms is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River. At the end of 2004, it had 85,829 inhabitants.Established by the Celts, who called it Borbetomagus, Worms today remains embattled with the cities Trier and Cologne over the title of "Oldest City in Germany." Worms is the only...
(1521), and later at Speyer
Speyer
Speyer is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities...
(1526 and 1529), Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
(1530) and Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
(1541).
In the autumn of 1523 he went to Rome as he did not feel himself safe at Frankfurt, but returned early in 1524. Meanwhile his patrons and friends at Frankfort had joined the reformers. Cochlaeus accompanied Lorenzo Campeggio, the papal nuncio in Holy Roman Empire, to the Convention of Regensburg as interpreter and member of the commission which discussed the reform of the clergy. His position at Frankfurt becoming untenable during the German Peasants' War
German Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1526. At its height in the spring and summer of 1525, the conflict involved an estimated 300,000 peasants: contemporary estimates put the dead at 100,000...
, he fled to Cologne in 1525, and in 1526 received a canonry at St. Victor's in Mainz. He attended the Diet of Speyer in 1526, but his hope of holding a disputation with Luther was not fulfilled. In 1529 he became secretary to Duke George of Saxony
George of Saxony
-Life:George was born in the Saxon capital Dresden. He was the second son of King John of Saxony and his wife Princess Amelia of Bavaria , daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria ....
, at Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
and Meissen
Meissen
Meissen is a town of approximately 30,000 about northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albrechtsburg castle, the Gothic Meissen Cathedral and the Meissen Frauenkirche...
. The death of his patron (1539) compelled him to take flight. In September 1539 he became canon at Breslau, where he died.
Works
Cochlaeus was a prolific writer and a feared opponent, who attracted very little sympathy from any side. His humanist ideas raised the suspicion of many Catholics, and his polemical writings won him the hatred of the Reformers.He published under the name of Wendelstein his first piece, In musicam exhortatorium (1507). His first theological works were De Utroque Sacerdotio (1520) and some smaller writings published in rapid succession. In During the following years he wrote tracts against Luther's principal theses on the doctrine of justification, on the freedom of the will, and on Catholic teaching in De Gratia Sacramentorum, 1522; De Baptismo parvulorum, 1523; A commentary on 154 Articles and others. Luther engaged with Cochlæus only in a single work, Adversus Armatum Virum Cocleum.
In his Colloqium Cochlaei cum Luthero, Cochlaeus reported on his discussion with Luther on April 24, 1521, about issues, such as the origin of Luther's doctrine of predestination
Predestination
Predestination, in theology is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God. John Calvin interpreted biblical predestination to mean that God willed eternal damnation for some people and salvation for others...
, the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
, and the authority of the Bible. After writing a series of pamphlets discussing the main themes of Luther's theology, Cochlaeus became convinced that any further argumentation with Luther was futile. Accordingly, instead of convincing Luther, Cochlaeus attempted to come to an agreement with Melanchthon at the Diet
Diet (assembly)
In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...
of Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
in 1530, but without much success.
His historical biography of Luther was popular and influential. It became a model and source for later
polemics, and the view expounded in it that the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
was nothing but an incidental jealousy between the Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
and Augustinian orders had a wide circulation.
He left one of the few contemporary notices of the young Michael Servetus
Michael Servetus
Michael Servetus was a Spanish theologian, physician, cartographer, and humanist. He was the first European to correctly describe the function of pulmonary circulation...
as well as notes on Tyndale
William Tyndale
William Tyndale was an English scholar and translator who became a leading figure in Protestant reformism towards the end of his life. He was influenced by the work of Desiderius Erasmus, who made the Greek New Testament available in Europe, and by Martin Luther...
's abortive attempt to print his New Testament
Tyndale Bible
The Tyndale Bible generally refers to the body of biblical translations by William Tyndale. Tyndale’s Bible is credited with being the first English translation to work directly from Hebrew and Greek texts. Furthermore it was the first English biblical translation that was mass produced as a result...
at Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
in 1525.
External links
- Johann Cochlaeus. Adversus cucullatum minotaurum wittenbergensem: De sacramentorum gratia iterum, (1523), Joseph Schweizer, ed., Munster in Westfalen, (1920), Corpus Catholicorum, vol. 3.
- Luther's Lives includes a translation of Cochlaeus's biography of Luther
Attribution