Lucas Maius
Encyclopedia
Lucas Maius (October 14 1522, Römhild
– 4 or 5 March 1598, Kassel
) was a German theologian, pastor, and playwright during the Protestant Reformation
.
, as his father took part in the German Peasants' War
. There, he attended school in the winters, helping with the farmwork in the summer months. He learned a simple job as tailor. In 1548, he completed his studies at the University of Wittenberg, where he had attended lectures by Philipp Melanchthon
. In 1549, he traveled to Silesia, Prussia, Poland, Denmark and Holland.
In 1550, he became a schoolteacher, and after his marriage in 1551, he became principal of the school in Hildburghausen. Ordained by Johann Stössel
in Weimar
, Maius took over as substitute pastor in Eishausen, Straufhain
in 1561, and in 1562 became pastor as well. At another parish in Weimar in 1565, he earned his Master of Philosophy at the University of Jena in 1567. In 1568, he became senior pastor in Rudolstadt
, and he went in the fall of 1575 as senior pastor and Superintendent of St. Mary's Church in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
. In that capacity, he signed the 1577 Formula of Concord
in Wolmirstedt
, though suspicion fell on him of being a Crypto-Calvinist.
In 1577, Maius hosted Jakob Andreae
, Nicholas Selnecker, and other fellow Reformation pastors at Halle, where they developed a sort of philosophical conundrum known as the 'Devil's Cross' (Teufels kreutz) that was said to have turned numerous parishioners away from the devil. It was explained as follows:
He became involved in the constant dispute over Article VIII (on the Person of Christ), and because of some statements he allegedly had made against the Concord, was interrogated by the Administrator of the Archbishopric of Magdeburg
, Joachim III Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg. Seeing no prospects in Halle, he was dismissed from his post in 1579, converted to the Reformed faith
, and took a position as second pastor in Kassel
Altstadt. There, he rose to first pastor, and became chaplain to the Landgrave Wilhelm IV of Hesse.
As a comedic playwright, Maius also wrote a script, Von der wunderlichen Vereinigung Göttlicher Gerechtigkeit und Barmherzigkeit. (From the Wonderful Union of Divine Justice and Mercy). He also translated Nicholas Selnecker's Paedagogia Christiana.
, Dorothea Schmuck (d. 9 Apr. 1560 in Hildburghausen), with whom he had six children.
He was married a second time in Hildburghausen on 4 Oct. 1561 to Barbara Kirch (born 1540, d. 20 Jan 1608 in Kassel). 12 children were produced from that marriage.
Known children are:
Römhild
Römhild is a municipality in the district of Hildburghausen, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated 14 km west of Hildburghausen, and 21 km southeast of Meiningen.In the Stadtkirche of Römhild is the tomb of Elisabeth and Hermann VIII of Henneberg...
– 4 or 5 March 1598, Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
) was a German theologian, pastor, and playwright during 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...
.
Life
Lucas Maius was born in Römhild in 1522, to mill owner Michael May and his wife, Martha Dörrer. In his early years, he moved with his parents to HildburghausenHildburghausen
Hildburghausen is a town in Thuringia in central Germany, capital of the district Hildburghausen. It is situated on the river Werra, 20 km south of Suhl, and 25 km northwest of Coburg....
, as his father took part in 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...
. There, he attended school in the winters, helping with the farmwork in the summer months. He learned a simple job as tailor. In 1548, he completed his studies at the University of Wittenberg, where he had attended lectures by Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon , born Philipp Schwartzerdt, was a German reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lutheran Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems...
. In 1549, he traveled to Silesia, Prussia, Poland, Denmark and Holland.
In 1550, he became a schoolteacher, and after his marriage in 1551, he became principal of the school in Hildburghausen. Ordained by Johann Stössel
Johann Stössel
Johann Stössel was a Lutheran Theologian and Reformer.-Life:...
in Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, Maius took over as substitute pastor in Eishausen, Straufhain
Straufhain
Straufhain is a municipality in the Hildburghausen district of Thuringia, Germany.-Municipality subdivisions:...
in 1561, and in 1562 became pastor as well. At another parish in Weimar in 1565, he earned his Master of Philosophy at the University of Jena in 1567. In 1568, he became senior pastor in Rudolstadt
Rudolstadt
Rudolstadt is a town in the German Bundesland of Thuringia, close to the Thuringian Forest to the southwest, and to Jena and Weimar to the north....
, and he went in the fall of 1575 as senior pastor and Superintendent of St. Mary's Church in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
. In that capacity, he signed the 1577 Formula of Concord
Formula of Concord
Formula of Concord is an authoritative Lutheran statement of faith that, in its two parts , makes up the final section of the Lutheran Corpus Doctrinae or Body of Doctrine, known as...
in Wolmirstedt
Wolmirstedt
Wolmirstedt is a town in the Börde district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is located 14 km north of Magdeburg, on the river Ohre.-History:*1009 first documentary mention*1274 Ruthger von Blumenthal appointed Vogt of Wolmirstedt...
, though suspicion fell on him of being a Crypto-Calvinist.
In 1577, Maius hosted Jakob Andreae
Jakob Andreae
Jakob Andreae was a significant German Lutheran theologian, involved in the drafting of major documents.-Life:He was born in Waiblingen, in the Duchy of Württemberg. He studied at the University of Tübingen from 1541...
, Nicholas Selnecker, and other fellow Reformation pastors at Halle, where they developed a sort of philosophical conundrum known as the 'Devil's Cross' (Teufels kreutz) that was said to have turned numerous parishioners away from the devil. It was explained as follows:
| If the devil | lies, dies, | then he is real; therefore it's certain that he also | dies. lies. |
|---|
He became involved in the constant dispute over Article VIII (on the Person of Christ), and because of some statements he allegedly had made against the Concord, was interrogated by the Administrator of the Archbishopric of Magdeburg
Archbishopric of Magdeburg
The Archbishopric of Magdeburg was a Roman Catholic archdiocese and Prince-Bishopric of the Holy Roman Empire centered on the city of Magdeburg on the Elbe River....
, Joachim III Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg. Seeing no prospects in Halle, he was dismissed from his post in 1579, converted to the Reformed faith
Reformed churches
The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations characterized by Calvinist doctrines. They are descended from the Swiss Reformation inaugurated by Huldrych Zwingli but developed more coherently by Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger and especially John Calvin...
, and took a position as second pastor in Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
Altstadt. There, he rose to first pastor, and became chaplain to the Landgrave Wilhelm IV of Hesse.
As a comedic playwright, Maius also wrote a script, Von der wunderlichen Vereinigung Göttlicher Gerechtigkeit und Barmherzigkeit. (From the Wonderful Union of Divine Justice and Mercy). He also translated Nicholas Selnecker's Paedagogia Christiana.
Family
He was married on 13 Jan. 1551 to the daughter of the mayor of RodachRodach
Rodach may refer to several locations in southern Germany:*Rodach , a tributary of the Itz river*Rodach , a tributary of the Main river*Wilde Rodach, also a tributary of the Main river*Bad Rodach, a city in the district of Coburg, Bavaria...
, Dorothea Schmuck (d. 9 Apr. 1560 in Hildburghausen), with whom he had six children.
He was married a second time in Hildburghausen on 4 Oct. 1561 to Barbara Kirch (born 1540, d. 20 Jan 1608 in Kassel). 12 children were produced from that marriage.
Known children are:
- 1. Nicolaus, became counselor in Magdeburg
- 2. Jonas
- 3. Paul
- 4. Lucas (born 7 July 1571 in Rudolstadt) pastor in Kassel
- 5. Rebecca; married 1592 in Kassel to Johannes Meurer
- 6. Sybilla (1575), married 1598 Hermann Fabronius
- 7. Maria
- 8. Andreas
- 9. Eckbrecht (1581), married Elisabeth Cothmann, d. 1652
- 10. Johann (born 6 Dec. 1599 in Kassel, d. 15 März 1640), pastor in Kassel
- 11. Name unknown, daughter married Caspar Lotz