THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
nized as a scientific organizer of the study of practical theology, in this interest writing Ueber Begriff und Einteilung der praktischen Theologie (Leipsic, 1836); Homiletik der evangelisch-protestantischen Kirche (1S4S); and Pastoraltheorie; oder die Lehre von der Scelsorge des evangelischen Pfarrers (1875). His own homiletic activity during thirty years of preaching in the cathedral illustrated the worth of his conceptions, and five volumes of his sermons were published between 1S34 and 1862.
(P CHRISTf.) Bibliography: Professor A. Schweizer. Biographische Aufzeichnungen, von ihm selbst entworfen, ed. P. Schweizer, Zurich, 1889.
SCHWENCKFELD, shvenk'felt, VON OSSIG, CASPAR, SCHWENCKFELDIANS.
I. Biography.
Early Life (§ 1). Reformer: Works (§ 2). II. Characterization. III. Theology.
Word and Spirit (§1). Creed and Sacrament
(§2). Christology (§ 3). IV. The Schwenckfeldians.
I. Biography: Caspar Schwenckfeld was born in Nov. or Dec, 1490, on the Ossig estate near Liiben (41 m. n.w. of Breslau), duchy of Liegnitz; d. at Ulm Dec. 10, 1561. Descended from an ancient aristocratic family, in consideration of an annuity, he later surrendered the an-
i. Early cestral estate to his younger brother. Life. After visiting the school at Liegnitz, he went to Cologne, in 1505, to pursue general study, though probably without matriculating; proceeded to Frankfort-on-the-Oder, 1507; and later, perhaps, to Erfurt. His university studies embraced the liberal arts, scholastic theology, and canon law. It does not appear that he came into close touch with Humanism (q.v.) ; nor did he acquire an acquaintance, during his period of study, with Hebrew and Greek. At the close of 1510, or beginning of 151 1, he entered the court service, from which he withdrew in 1522 or 1523. Religiously his attitude, in the mean time, was one of indifference; and he first came under the influence of religion in the Evangelical sense when, after the protest of Luther against the traffic of indulgences, the latter' s writings were circulated and reprinted in Silesia, which also suffered grievously from the practise. Notwithstanding his later antagonism to Luther, Schwenckfeld always acknowledged that he owed to him his conversion to the Gospel, and his adherence to the Reformation probably dates from the winter of 1517-18. He now committed himself to the study of Luther's writings and of the Holy Scriptures, of which, during 1519, he read four chapters daily, so as to complete their perusal within a year. When his sovereign decided in favor of the Reformation, he publicly espoused the transformation of ecclesiastical conditions in Liegnitz, and in Silesia at large, by allying himself with clericals and laymen of like views, foremost of whom was V Crautwald, by means of letters and personal preaching, and by direct influence upon his sovereign prince and the church rulers.
Meanwhile, Schwenckfeld had formed personal connections with Wittenberg, where he had visited, Dec, 1521, or Feb., 1522. He became acquainted with Philipp Melanchthon, J. P. Bugenhagen,
Justus Jonas, the Zwickau Prophets (qq.v.), and Carlstadt (see Draconites, Johannes). He did not meet Luther while at Wittenberg, although he shortly afterward entered into 2. Reform- correspondence with him. Though er: Works. Schwenckfeld continued to be especially associated with Carlstadt, yet, he by no means followed in all the latter's methods and those of the Zwickau enthusiasts. On the contrary, his course as a Reformer, despite his zeal, was, in that first period, conservative. Soon began a certain estrangement from Luther. The collapse of the former ecclesiastical relations with the concomitant decline of both morals and religion, the dearth of fruits from Luther's preaching, and the carnal conduct of many who loudly professed their adherence to the Reformation with their lips, only disquieted and saddened Schwenckfeld. As early as 1524, he wrote Ermanung dess missbrauchs etlicher furnempster Artikel des Evangelii, aus wblcher unverstandt der gemayn man in flayschliche Freyhayt und yrrung gefilret wirt. Antagonism to Luther first set in when Schwenckfeld put forward his peculiar doctrine of the Lord's Supper in 1525. Schwenckfeld had studied the writings of both Zwingli and Luther, had taken a keen interest in the dispute on the communion, and now affirmed that he had received through special revelation a new understanding of the Lord's Supper and of the words of institution. These he submitted to Crautwald, who at first stood aloof, but then went over to Schwenckfeld's opinion, which he aided in establishing upon thoroughgoing premises. Schwenckfeld next referred his views, together with the deliverances of Crautwald, to the Wittenberg theologians, on the occasion, at the close of 1525, of a visit to Wittenberg. In successive interviews with Jonas, Bugenhagen, and Luther, both sides stood firm on this and other questions; and henceforth Luther and the Wittenberg theologians regarded Schwenckfeld as a dangerous heretic. The first consequence of this separation was an overture to Schwenckfeld from the Reformed theologians. (Ecolampadius (q.v.) issued, with a friendly preface, Schwenckfeld 's tract, De cursuverbi Dei (Basel, 1527); and in 1628 Zwingli fostered the printing (without Schwenckfeld's knowledge) of one of the circular letters of Schwenckfeld regarding the communion (Zwingli 's Opera, hi. 563-588, Zurich, 1832) . Losing the favor of King Ferdinand of Bohemia because of befriending the Anabaptists, Schwenckfeld left Silesia in 1529, never to return. He also departed from Strasburg, where he had taken refuge, in 1533 and 1534. During this period he repeatedly asserted himself in positive terms on the subject of the communion, collecting his utterances in the tract Bekanntnus vom heiligen Sacrament des Leibs und Bluts Christi (Strasburg, 1530). During the ensuing years, Schwenckfeld sojourned in various towns of Swabia. From 1538 new controversies arose, involving, beside his previous divergencies, now also his Christology. His treatment of this theme in a series of essays was followed in 1538-39 by the tracts Von der gbttlichen Kindschafft und Herrlichkeit des gantzen Sones Gottes, and Ermanunge zum waren und seelig machende Erkdnntnis Christi (Der erste Theil