Laurentius Petri Gothus
Encyclopedia
Laurentius Petri Gothus was the second Swedish Lutheran
Archbishop of Uppsala
, Sweden, 1575-1579.
He was born in 1529 or 1530 in the province Östergötland
, from where the name Gothus is derived as the means of separating him from his predecessor as archbishop, Laurentius Petri Nericius
.
He was a well-mannered and educated person, and the previous archbishop Nericius recommended him as a his court chaplain to the King Erik XIV in 1560.
When Erik's successor John III
was crowned, Johan preferred Gothus to Nericius, since Gothus was more in agreement with his own view on Lutheranism. They advocated a mean way between Catholicism
and Lutheranism in Sweden, unlike Nericius who was more inclined to Luther
's teachings.
He was ordained by the King in 1575 in a ceremony by Catholic proportions, with cope and all the Catholic rituals.
In the 1570s, jesuits were allowed to spread their messages. As a reaction, Gothus wrote several texts against papism and liturgy
. As opposed as Gothus was to this, he was still a supporter of liturgy, as evident from some of his texts, while also at the same time in favor of Luther's works.
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...
Archbishop of Uppsala
Archbishop of Uppsala
The Archbishop of Uppsala has been the primate in Sweden in an unbroken succession since 1164, first during the Catholic era, and from the 1530s and onward under the Lutheran church.- Historical overview :...
, Sweden, 1575-1579.
He was born in 1529 or 1530 in the province Östergötland
Östergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
, from where the name Gothus is derived as the means of separating him from his predecessor as archbishop, Laurentius Petri Nericius
Laurentius Petri
Laurentius Petri Nericius was a Swedish clergyman and the first Evangelical Lutheran Archbishop of Sweden. He and his brother Olaus Petri are, together with the King Gustav Vasa, regarded as the main Protestant reformers of Sweden...
.
He was a well-mannered and educated person, and the previous archbishop Nericius recommended him as a his court chaplain to the King Erik XIV in 1560.
When Erik's successor John III
John III of Sweden
-Family:John married his first wife, Catherine Jagellonica of Poland , house of Jagiello, in Vilnius on 4 October 1562. In Sweden, she is known as Katarina Jagellonica. She was the sister of king Sigismund II Augustus of Poland...
was crowned, Johan preferred Gothus to Nericius, since Gothus was more in agreement with his own view on Lutheranism. They advocated a mean way between Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
and Lutheranism in Sweden, unlike Nericius who was more inclined to 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...
's teachings.
He was ordained by the King in 1575 in a ceremony by Catholic proportions, with cope and all the Catholic rituals.
In the 1570s, jesuits were allowed to spread their messages. As a reaction, Gothus wrote several texts against papism and liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
. As opposed as Gothus was to this, he was still a supporter of liturgy, as evident from some of his texts, while also at the same time in favor of Luther's works.