Johann Faber of Heilbronn
Encyclopedia
Johann Faber of Heilbronn (1504 – 27 February 1558) was a controversial Sixteenth century Catholic
preacher.
He was born in Heilbronn
, and at the age of sixteen he entered the Dominican Order
and made his ecclesiastical studies in the convent at Wimpfen. Little is known about his early preaching, but in 1534 he was invited to preach in the cathedral of Augsburg
, but owing to the Lutheran tendencies of the time, and the strong anti-Catholic feeling which arose from it, the Catholic clergy were forbidden to preach, and his usefulness in Augsburg was of short duration.
He then went to the University of Cologne
, where he devoted himself for several years to the higher clerical studies. Here he published in 1535 and 1536 several unedited works of the English
mystic, Richard Rolle
. Returning to Wimpfen he engaged in the work of preaching and as a Catholic, refuting the supposed errors of the Reformers
, which had grown greatly in popularity since his departure.
His zeal in upholding the tennets of Catholicism, and his increasing success as a preacher, caused his enemies to turn against him with such bitterness that he was forced to leave the city. In 1539, at the invitation of the citizens of Colmar
, he proceeded to that city, where Lutheranism
had by this time become extremely popular. On the 2 September of the same year he enrolled at the University of Freiburg
as "Concionator Colmarensis", and is was at this time, that he most likely received his baccalaureate
. In 1545 he was elected prior of the convent in Schlettstadt, but he had served only two years in this capacity when he was again appointed to take charge of the pulpit in the cathedral of Augsburg. Being forced to abandon it once more in 1552, he proceeded to the University of Ingolstadt
, where he received the degree of Doctor of Theology
under the presidency of Peter Canisius, who succeeded him later in the pulpit of Augsburg. In the following year he returned again to Augsburg, where he died on the 27 February 1558 .
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
preacher.
He was born in Heilbronn
Heilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
, and at the age of sixteen he entered the Dominican Order
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 made his ecclesiastical studies in the convent at Wimpfen. Little is known about his early preaching, but in 1534 he was invited to preach in the cathedral 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...
, but owing to the Lutheran tendencies of the time, and the strong anti-Catholic feeling which arose from it, the Catholic clergy were forbidden to preach, and his usefulness in Augsburg was of short duration.
He then went to 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...
, where he devoted himself for several years to the higher clerical studies. Here he published in 1535 and 1536 several unedited works of the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
mystic, Richard Rolle
Richard Rolle
Rolle is honored in the Church of England on January 20 and in the Episcopal Church together with Walter Hilton and Margery Kempe on September 28.-Works in print:*English Prose Treatises of Richard Rolle of Hampole, Edited by George Perry...
. Returning to Wimpfen he engaged in the work of preaching and as a Catholic, refuting the supposed errors of the Reformers
Protestant Reformers
Protestant Reformers were those theologians, churchmen, and statesmen whose careers, works, and actions brought about the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century...
, which had grown greatly in popularity since his departure.
His zeal in upholding the tennets of Catholicism, and his increasing success as a preacher, caused his enemies to turn against him with such bitterness that he was forced to leave the city. In 1539, at the invitation of the citizens of Colmar
Colmar
Colmar is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is the capital of the department. Colmar is also the seat of the highest jurisdiction in Alsace, the appellate court....
, he proceeded to that city, where Lutheranism
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
had by this time become extremely popular. On the 2 September of the same year he enrolled at the University of Freiburg
University of Freiburg
The University of Freiburg , sometimes referred to in English as the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The university was founded in 1457 by the Habsburg dynasty as the...
as "Concionator Colmarensis", and is was at this time, that he most likely received his baccalaureate
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
. In 1545 he was elected prior of the convent in Schlettstadt, but he had served only two years in this capacity when he was again appointed to take charge of the pulpit in the cathedral of Augsburg. Being forced to abandon it once more in 1552, he proceeded to the University of Ingolstadt
University of Ingolstadt
The University of Ingolstadt was founded in 1472 by Louis the Rich, the Duke of Bavaria at the time, and its first Chancellor was the Bishop of Eichstätt. It consisted of five faculties: humanities, sciences, theology, law and medicine, all of which were contained in the Hoheschule...
, where he received the degree of Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree that is considered by the U.S. National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy....
under the presidency of Peter Canisius, who succeeded him later in the pulpit of Augsburg. In the following year he returned again to Augsburg, where he died on the 27 February 1558 .
Religious Ideas
Faber was a man of vast theological learning. His Catholic zeal to stem the tide of Lutheranism bought him into open conflict with many church leaders. He was the author of a number of works, including the following:- "Quod fides esse possit sine caritate, expositio pia et catholica" (Augsburg, 1548)
- "Testimonium Scripturae et Patrum B. Petrum apostolum Romae fuisse" (Antwerp, 1553)
- "Grundliche und christliche Anzeigungen aus der heiligen Schrift und heiligen Kirchenlehrern was die evangelische Messe sei" (Dillingen, 1558)
- "Enchiridion Bibliorum concionatori in popularibus declamationibus utile" (Cologne, 1568)
- "Precationes Christianae ex sacris litteris et D. Augustino singulario studio concinnatae et selectae" (Cologne, 1586)