RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Osgood Osiander
Osiander's doctrines were with difficulty understood. He claimed to have Luther on his side. His opponents presented an array of Luther's sayings to prove the opposite, and Osiander replied in similar form with his Excerpta qucedam. The outcome of the disputation was an absolute breach between Osiander and his opponents. Osiander was then appointed superintendent with spiritual functions, but Morlin, his arch-opponent, denied him the sacrament and his colleagues withdrew their recognition. On Oct. 5, 1551, the duke sent Osiander's statement of his opinions together with an account of the dispute so far to the Evangelical princes and cities of Germany with the request that the matter be regularly discussed in synods. All Evangelical Germany began to be stirred. In Nuremberg especially the debate waxed warm. In Stettin, Peter Artopous and the physician G. Curio supported Osiander's views; but, outside of Prussia, there was almost unanimous opposition. There was objection to the dangerous mysticism of the divine indwelling; to the one-sided emphasis of the divine nature of Christ, which, in connection with the separation of forgiveness of sin from justification, seemed to depreciate the humanity of Christ and to diminish his merit; and, finally, to the identification of justification with regeneration. Osiander replied to the presentation of the moderate opinion of Melanchthon with an intemperate tract, Widerlegung der ungegriindeten undienstlichen Antwort Philippi Melanchthoni (1552). He answered a number of assailants together in the coarse but keen Schmeckbier (1552). Osiander died in the midst of the strife, which continued for several years after his death, despite the duke's efforts to restore peace. See Briessmann, Johann; Funck, Johann; and Moerlin, Joachim. (P Tschackert.)
2. Lucas Osiander the Elder: Pastor and theologian; son of Andreas by his first marriage; b. at Nuremberg Dec. 15, 1534; d. at Stuttgart Sept. 17, 1604. He moved with his father to Konigsberg in 1549, and after the father's death entered the University of Tubingen. When but twenty-three years old he became superintendent at Blaubeuren and the same at St. Leonhard's in Stuttgart, in 1562. He was created doctor of theology in 1564; court preacher and consistorial councilor, in 1567; and gained commanding influence under Duke Ludwig (1568-93). The opinionated new Duke Friedrich, made restless by the harsh tone of his sermons, transferred him, in 1593, to the cathedral pulpit; and, in 1596, to the Abbey of Adelberg. As abbot of this former cloister, Osiander became a member of the diet, and thus ventured to remonstrate with the duke for patronizing the Jews. He was now deposed, and banished from the country. Retreating no farther than Esslingen, he there caused much disturbance by his sermons, but was soon permitted to return to Stuttgart. His wife was Margareta Entringer, widow of Caspar Lyser, and mother of the renowned Lutheran Polycarp Lyser. She was, furthermore, a sister of the wife of Jacob Andreas, with whom Osiander made common cause in establishing for the Church of Wurttemberg the " Brenz " Lutheran type.
Osiander's activity in Church and State was
many-sided; as in the conflict with Calvinism (conference at Maulbronn, 1564; Zweibrucken, 1579; Mompelgard, 1586); in behalf of Lutheran union by means of the Formula of Concord (at Maulbronn, q.v., Jan. 19, 1576; pronouncement on the " Torgau Book "; first Latin translation of the Formula, of Concord Sept. 6, 1576); in behalf of inaugurating the Reformation of Cologne under Archbishop Gebhard, 1583; and in the direction of an understanding with the Greek Church, as well as in opposition to the papacy. A declaration against the Gregorian calendar, 1583, may be noted; and his polemical tracts against the Jesuits. As preacher, he disdained all rhetorical ornament, avoided useless controversy, spoke simply and colloquially, with Biblical edification (Bauernpostille, 5 parts, 1597-1600). Of great importance proved his Quinque libri Moysis [and the other books of the Bible] iuxta veterem sen vulgatam translationem, ad Hebroeam veritatem (ad Grcecum textum) emendati, et brevi explicatione illustrati, insertio etiam
prcecipuis locis communibus in lectione sacra obseruandis (9 vols., Tubingen, 1573-86), forming a paraphrase of the entire Bible; Institutio Christians religionis (1576-86), an exhibition of the Evangelical Lutheran doctrinal system, in opposition to Calvin's " Institutes," commended to the Gallic and Belgian Churches for proselyting " foreign Christendom"; Epitomes historian ecclesiastics centuria i.-xvi. (1592-1604), at the same time a digest and a continuation of the "Magdeburg Centuries " (1597-1600), a very useful work for its day. Osiander rendered a great service to hymnology; first, by publishing, conjointly with B. Bidembach, in 1569, the Choral Book of Sigmund Hemmel, Der ganz Psalter Davids, and by issuing, in 1586, his Fiinfzig geistliche Lieder und Psalmen mit 4 Stimmen.
3. Andreas Osiander II.: Eldest son of Lucas I.; b. at Blaubeuren (10 m. w.n.w. of Ulm) May 26, 1562; d. at Tubingen Apr. 21, 1617. He served as pastor atGiiglingen, 1587; was associated with his father as court preacher, 1590; became abbot at Adelberg, 1598, and professor of theology and chancellor of the university at Tubingen, 1605. He took part in the religious colloquy at Baden, 1589, and at Regensburg, 1601. He wrote sundry zealous tracts in defense of the Formula of Concord, and in antagonism to the papacy, e.g., Papa non papa (Tubingen, 1599; Frankfort, 1610). Of great and lasting importance was his brief manual for communicants (Tubingen, 1590).
4. Lucas Osiander, the Younger: Son of Lucas I.; b. at Stuttgart May 6, 1571; d. at Tubingen Aug. 10, 1638. He was superintendent at Leonberg, 1601; at Schorndorf, 1606; abbot at Bebenhausen, 1612; at Maulbronn, 1616; professor of theology at Tubingen, 1619; provost and chancellor of the university, 1620. Like his father and brother, he was one of the most orthodox Lutherans and a most vehement controversialist. His four Enchiridia controversiarum comprise: (1) Cum Calvimstis, 1605; (2) Cum Anabaptistis, 1605; (3) Cum Schwenkfeldianis, 1607; (4) Cum Pontificiis, 1602; besides various polemical tracts against Jesuits and Calvinists (e.g., against a Reformed preacher, Sculr
Osiander
Oswald