RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Olenrlua 01evianu»
setzung, v. 1041-64, Leipsic, 1784; Ersch and Gruber, Encyklopddie, III. sect., 3. part, pp. 37—44; ADB, xxiv. 269-284; Julian, Hymnology, pp. 866-867.
OLEVIANUS, o-le"vi-a'nus(OLEVIAN), KASPAR: German Reformer; b. at Treves Aug. 19, 1536; d. at Herborn (32 m. n.e. of Nassau) Mar 15, 1587. Passing rapidly through the schools of his native city, he visited Paris for wider education as early as 1550. He went later to Orleans and Bourges to study law, where he attached himself to the Reformed congregations, thriving here in secret. While in the act of saving the young Duke Hermann Ludwig of the Palatinate from drowning, he himself was rescued by a servant. Believing this to be an act of divine providence, he now studied the Holy Scriptures with great fervor, while continuing at the same time his legal studies and acquiring in 1557 his doctorate in civil law. Visiting Zurich and Geneva in 1557, he received such encouragement from Farel and Calvin that in June, 1559, he returned to Treves, resolved to complete his studies for the preaching of the Gospel. There, at his own request, Olevianus was engaged by the council as teacher of philosophy in the university, where he started to lecture in Latin; and on Aug. 10, 1559, he preached his first sermon in the German language and bore earnest witness for the Evangelical truth. Owing to numerous protests, the council decided to forbid his sermons in the said department, but the town church of St. James was submitted to his acceptance. Beginning with Aug. 20, unmolested by the councilors of Elector Johann VI., who happened to be absent at the Imperial Diet at Augsburg, Olevianus assembled a daily increasing Evangelical congregation. In its name Burgomaster Johann Steuss acknowledged his adherence to the Augsburg Confession no later than Aug. 21, and desired religious freedom under terms of the Religious Peace of Augsburg (q.v.). Steuss held himself to be thoroughly justified in this demand, by reason of the ancient liberties of the city of Treves; whereas the governor of the city declared it subject to the archbishop, and on Sept. 14 renewed the interdiction against preaching. Yet even now, by request of his followers, Olevianus fearlessly continued his sermons, and on Sept. 23, in the person of Superintendent Cunemann Flinsbach (1527-71), who had been despatched to him from Zweibriicken by Duke Wolfgang, he still received a welcome support in his labors. Meanwhile, on Sept. 16, Elector Johann himself had returned to Treves from Augsburg for the purpose of suppressing the Evangelical preaching. But when even those of Roman proclivities encountered him with undisguised mistrust, he departed again from the city, Sept. 28, and sought to bring it to submission by force. Calling the nobility and the peasantry to arms, he invested the city and cut off all its supplies. In this way the elector finally induced the alarmed Roman Catholic members of the council to accede to his demand so far as to arrest, on Oct. 11, Olevianus and Flinsbach, together with Steuss and eight aldermen, and four Evangelical citizens. On Oct. 25, the archbishop marched victoriously into Treves with 120 troopers and 600 infantry, to resume control. On Nov. 15,
he had the prisoners indicted on capital charges, as though guilty of high treason. It was only when Elector Frederick III. of the Palatinate, and five other Evangelical princes in an embassy to Treves vigorously interceded for the prisoners, that Elector Johann dropped the accusation and liberated the prisoners, Dec. 19, upon payment of 3,000 florins, and after exacting a solemn oath to keep the peace without vengeance. They and all other Protestants were expelled from the city. The Jesuits were called thither, in June, 1560, to insure Roman sentiment. Olevianus was released after ten weeks' imprisonment. By invitation of the Palatine elector's envoy he went to Heidelberg, and Jan., 1560, he found a suitable sphere of activity as director of the " College of Wisdom " now converted into a theological seminary. In the following year he became professor of dogmatics at the university. He soon exchanged his position for the more congenial office of pastor of a city church. As member of the church council he exercised considerable influence upon the reconstruction of the church regime along Reformed lines. The final revision of the Heidelberg Catechism (q.v.) may probably be referred to him. At the Maulbronn Conference in Apr., 1564 (see Maulbronn), he capably represented the Reformed position. At the colloquy with Lutheran theologians at Amberg, in Nov. and Dec, 1564, Olevianus proved less successful. The Upper Palatinate could not be induced to adopt Calvinism. Olevianus took prominent part in the Rhenish Palatinate church organization of Nov. 15, 1563; and in the institution of presbyteries and church discipline according to the electoral edict of July 15, 1570. Unfortunately Olevianus also subscribed to the judgment of the Heidelberg theologians who advocated the enforcement of the death penalty against blasphemers in the so-called Arian affair; and thus made himself a partner in guilt in the execution of Johannes Silvanus, Dec. 23, 1572 (see Friedrich III.); thereby showing that he, too, had not yet overcome the Old-Testament spirit still dominant with many sterling theologians in that age. When the Lutheran Elector Ludwig II. acceded to power, Olevianus was deposed from his offices, Nov. 17, 1576. In Mar., 1577, he accepted a call to Berleburg, as tutor to the sons of Count Ludwig of Wittgenstein, where he also cooperated powerfully in the reorganization of chureh affairs in the spirit of Calvinism. In 1584 he was called as pastor and teacher in the new academy at Herborn; but, after several months' illness, he died Mar. 15, 1587.
Olevianus undoubtedly was one of the most important Reformed theologians of his time. A popular preacher and eminent catechist, a clear thinker and energetic character, he was at the same time a sincere, devout, humble Christian.
Julius Net. Bibliography: A short sketch of Olevian's life by Johann Piscator is prefixed to the former's Gnadenbund Gottes, Herborn, 1590. Consult further K. Sudhoff, C. Olevianus und Z. Urrinus, Elberfeld, 1857; J. H. Wyttenbach, Versuch einer Geschichte von Trier, iii. 32-57, Treves, 1817; J. Mane, Caspar Olevian, Mainz, 1846; F. W. Cuno, Blatter der Erinnerung an Dr. Kaspar Olevianus, Barmen, 1887; J. N«y, Die Reformation in Trier 1669, Halle, 1906- 1007.
Olgtt Olmsted