Johann Gerhard’s Followers (12)

Johann Gerhard

Born

in Quedlinburg, Germany

October 17, 1582

Died

August 17, 1637

Genre

Christian, Theology, Philosophy

Influences

Martin Luther ...more

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Johann Gerhard was a Lutheran church leader and Scholastic theologian during the period of Orthodoxy.

At the age of fourteen, during a dangerous illness, he came under the personal influence of Johann Arndt, author of Das wahre Christenthum, and resolved to study for the church. He entered the University of Wittenberg in 1599, and studied philosophy and theology. A relative then persuaded him to change his subject, and he studied medicine for two years. In 1603, he resumed his theological reading at Jena, and in the following year received a new impulse from J.W. Winckelmann and Balthasar Mentzer at Marburg. He graduated in 1605 and began to give lectures at Jena, then in 1606 he accepted the invitation of John Casimir, Duke of Coburg, to th Johann Gerhard was a Lutheran church leader and Scholastic theologian during the period of Orthodoxy.

At the age of fourteen, during a dangerous illness, he came under the personal influence of Johann Arndt, author of Das wahre Christenthum, and resolved to study for the church. He entered the University of Wittenberg in 1599, and studied philosophy and theology. A relative then persuaded him to change his subject, and he studied medicine for two years. In 1603, he resumed his theological reading at Jena, and in the following year received a new impulse from J.W. Winckelmann and Balthasar Mentzer at Marburg. He graduated in 1605 and began to give lectures at Jena, then in 1606 he accepted the invitation of John Casimir, Duke of Coburg, to the superintendency of Heldburg, today Bad Colberg-Heldburg, and mastership of the gymnasium; soon afterwards he became general superintendent of the duchy, in which capacity he was engaged in the practical work of ecclesiastical organization until 1616, when he became the senior theological professor at Jena, where the remainder of his life was spent.

Here, with Johann Major and Johann Himmel, he formed the "Trias Johannea." Though still comparatively young, Gerhard was already regarded as the greatest living theologian of Protestant Germany; in the "disputations" of the period he was always protagonist, and his advice was sought on all public and domestic questions touching on religion or morals. During his lifetime he received repeated calls to almost every university in Germany (e.g. Giessen, Altdorf, Helmstedt, Jena, Wittenberg), as well as to Uppsala in Sweden. He died in Jena.

His writings are numerous, alike in exegetical, polemical, dogmatic and practical theology. To the first category belong the Commentarius in harmoniam historiae evangelicae de passione Christi (1617), the Comment, super priorem D. Petri epistolam (1641), and also his commentaries on Genesis (1637) and on Deuteronomy (1658). Of a controversial character are the Confessio Catholica (1633–1637), an extensive work which seeks to prove the evangelical and catholic character of the doctrine of the Augsburg Confession from the writings of approved Roman Catholic authors; and the Loci communes theologici (1610–1622), his principal contribution, in which Lutheranism is expounded "nervose, solide et copiose," in fact with a fulness of learning, a force of logic and a minuteness of detail that had never before been approached.

The Meditationes sacrae (1606), a work expressly devoted to the uses of Christian edification, has been frequently reprinted in Latin and has been translated into most of the European languages, including Greek. ...more

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Johann Gerhard’s books

Average rating: 4.56 · 428 ratings · 67 reviews · 214 distinct works • Similar authors

	Meditations on Divine Mercy: A Classic Treasury of Devotional Prayers 4.62 avg rating — 81 ratings — published 2003 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sacred Meditations by Johann Gerhard, Wade R. Johnston (Translator), Gaylin R. Schmeling (Contributor) 4.53 avg rating — 64 ratings — published 2003 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Handbook of Consolations: For the Fears and Trials That Oppress Us in the Stuggle with Death by Johann Gerhard, Carl L. Beckwith (Translator) 4.50 avg rating — 48 ratings — published 2009 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	On the Nature of Theology and Scripture 4.71 avg rating — 21 ratings — published 2006 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The daily exercise of piety in four parts 4.47 avg rating — 17 ratings — published 1998 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Schola Pietatis: Volume 1 by Johann Gerhard, Rachel K. Melvin (Editor), Elmer Hohle (Translator) 4.60 avg rating — 15 ratings — published 2013	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sacred Meditations 4.62 avg rating — 13 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	On the Law 4.54 avg rating — 13 ratings — published 1610 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	An Explanation of the History of the Suffering and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Johann Gerhard, David O. Berger (Editor), Elmer M. Hohle (Translator) 4.82 avg rating — 11 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Comprehensive Explanation of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper 4.60 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2014 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Johann Gerhard…

Series by Johann Gerhard

Theological Commonplaces (4 books)
by

Johann Gerhard

4.42 avg rating — 43 ratings

Quotes by Johann Gerhard (?)

“For through holy Baptism, we are not only reborn; that is, [not only do] we obtain forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God the Lord, righteousness, sonship, and eternal life, but we also are renewed through Baptism. That is, we receive the Holy Spirit who begins to renew our understanding, desires, and the strength of our total body and soul, so that the lost image of God begins to establish in us once again; and our inward man is once more renewed (2 Cor. 4:16).”
― Johann Gerhard, Schola Pietatis: Volume 1

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Johann Gerhard’s Followers (12)

Johann Gerhard

Combine EditionsJohann Gerhard’s books

Series by Johann Gerhard

Combine Editions
Johann Gerhard’s books