Ottmar Luscinius
Encyclopedia
Ottmar Luscinius was an Alsatian
Catholic Humanist
who wrote Biblical commentaries; b. Strasbourg, 1487, d. Freiburg
, 1537.
After receiving instruction in Strasbourg from Jacob Wimpheling, he went in 1508 to Paris, where he studied Latin under Faustus Andrelini and Greek under Hieronymus Aleander. He then studied canon law
at the Catholic University of Leuven
, in Padua
, and Vienna
, and in the last city music also under Wolfgang Grefinger. Subsequently he travelled in Greece and Asia Minor
, returning to Strasbourg in 1514. Here he became associated with Wimpheling and Sebastian Brant
and mingled in literary circles. In 1515 he was appointed organist at the church of St. Thomas, and also received a vicariate, as he was a priest. In addition he taught both in the school of the Knights Hospitallers and in the cathedral school.
He spread in Strasbourg his own enthusiasm for the Greek language and literature, and published Greek manuals, collections of examples, and an edition of Lucian
with a translation. In 1515 he also published a book on the elements of music (Institutiones musicae), and in 1516 issued a revised edition of the Rosella of Baptista Trovamala's compendium of cases of conscience. Luscinius went to Italy and there received the degree of Doctor of Law. In 1520 he lost his position at St. Thomas's, and failed to obtain a prebend which he had expected, but he was soon made a canon of St. Stephen's in Strasbourg. In 1523 he went to Augsburg
, and there became a teacher of the Bible and of Greek at the monastery of St. Ulrich
.
Although a zealous Humanist and an opponent of Scholasticism, Luscinius did not become a supporter of the Protestant Reformation
. For a time, however, he certainly seems to have been friendly to it, and to have approved of the doctrine of salvation by faith alone. But he held such disputes to be specious quibbling over words, and thus at the beginning he avoided taking sides. After 1525, however, he was regarded as a reliable Catholic. The Fugger
made him preacher at the church of St. Moritz
, and he became the most important champion of Catholicism in Augsburg, his sermons arousing the ill-will of the Protestants. In 1528, after he had repeatedly called the Evangelical preachers heretic
s, he was arrested and confined to his own house. In 1529 he was made cathedral preacher in Freiburg im Breisgau. Towards the end of his life he wished to enter the Carthusian
monastery near Freiburg, but he was prevented by death.
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
Catholic Humanist
Renaissance humanism
Renaissance humanism was an activity of cultural and educational reform engaged by scholars, writers, and civic leaders who are today known as Renaissance humanists. It developed during the fourteenth and the beginning of the fifteenth centuries, and was a response to the challenge of Mediæval...
who wrote Biblical commentaries; b. Strasbourg, 1487, d. Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
, 1537.
After receiving instruction in Strasbourg from Jacob Wimpheling, he went in 1508 to Paris, where he studied Latin under Faustus Andrelini and Greek under Hieronymus Aleander. He then studied canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
at the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
, in Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, and in the last city music also under Wolfgang Grefinger. Subsequently he travelled in Greece and Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
, returning to Strasbourg in 1514. Here he became associated with Wimpheling and Sebastian Brant
Sebastian Brant
Sebastian Brant was an Alsatian humanist and satirist. He is best known for his satire Das Narrenschiff .-Biography:...
and mingled in literary circles. In 1515 he was appointed organist at the church of St. Thomas, and also received a vicariate, as he was a priest. In addition he taught both in the school of the Knights Hospitallers and in the cathedral school.
He spread in Strasbourg his own enthusiasm for the Greek language and literature, and published Greek manuals, collections of examples, and an edition of Lucian
Lucian
Lucian of Samosata was a rhetorician and satirist who wrote in the Greek language. He is noted for his witty and scoffing nature.His ethnicity is disputed and is attributed as Assyrian according to Frye and Parpola, and Syrian according to Joseph....
with a translation. In 1515 he also published a book on the elements of music (Institutiones musicae), and in 1516 issued a revised edition of the Rosella of Baptista Trovamala's compendium of cases of conscience. Luscinius went to Italy and there received the degree of Doctor of Law. In 1520 he lost his position at St. Thomas's, and failed to obtain a prebend which he had expected, but he was soon made a canon of St. Stephen's in Strasbourg. In 1523 he went to 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...
, and there became a teacher of the Bible and of Greek at the monastery of St. Ulrich
St. Ulrich's and St. Afra's Abbey, Augsburg
St. Ulrich's and St. Afra's Abbey, Augsburg is a former Benedictine abbey dedicated to Saint Ulrich and Saint Afra in the south of the old city in Augsburg, Bavaria.- History :...
.
Although a zealous Humanist and an opponent of Scholasticism, Luscinius did not become a supporter of 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...
. For a time, however, he certainly seems to have been friendly to it, and to have approved of the doctrine of salvation by faith alone. But he held such disputes to be specious quibbling over words, and thus at the beginning he avoided taking sides. After 1525, however, he was regarded as a reliable Catholic. The Fugger
Fugger
The Fugger family was a historically prominent group of European bankers, members of the fifteenth and sixteenth-century mercantile patriciate of Augsburg, international mercantile bankers, and venture capitalists like the Welser and the Höchstetter families. This banking family replaced the de'...
made him preacher at the church of St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
, and he became the most important champion of Catholicism in Augsburg, his sermons arousing the ill-will of the Protestants. In 1528, after he had repeatedly called the Evangelical preachers heretic
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
s, he was arrested and confined to his own house. In 1529 he was made cathedral preacher in Freiburg im Breisgau. Towards the end of his life he wished to enter the Carthusian
Carthusian
The Carthusian Order, also called the Order of St. Bruno, is a Roman Catholic religious order of enclosed monastics. The order was founded by Saint Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns...
monastery near Freiburg, but he was prevented by death.
Other published works
- an edition (1518) of the Commentary on the Pauline Epistles, then ascribed to Bishop Haimo of HalberstadtHalberstadtHalberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
. In the introduction Luscinius condemns ScholasticismScholasticismScholasticism is a method of critical thought which dominated teaching by the academics of medieval universities in Europe from about 1100–1500, and a program of employing that method in articulating and defending orthodoxy in an increasingly pluralistic context...
and champions the study of the Bible; - an exposition and translation of the PsalmsPsalmsThe Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
(1524) - a harmony of the GospelGospelA gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
s in Latin and German (1523–25) - the dialogue Grunnius sophista (1522), a defence of Humanistic studies
- a collection of anecdotes called Loci ac sales mire festivi (1524), written chiefly for scholarly circles and intended rather to entertain than to be satirical. It contains extracts from Greek and Roman authors, quotations from the Bible and the Church FathersChurch FathersThe Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were early and influential theologians, eminent Christian teachers and great bishops. Their scholarly works were used as a precedent for centuries to come...
, and moral applications.