Urbanus Rhegius and the spread of the German reformation

Considerable attention has already been devoted to the careers of the more famous Reformation leaders, liartln Luth er, Ulrich Zwln/rll, and John Calvin.But among those of sec ondary rank, there are a number who played important roles in publicizing evangelical doctrines and in introducing ec clesiastical reforms.The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the career of Urbanus Rhegius as a reformer in South Germany and Austria in order to discover the role which he played in the spread of the German Reformation.The sources for Rhegius* life are inadequate to pre sent a complete picture of his intellectual development and relation to others.Except for a biographical sketch written by his son, Ernst, as a preface to a collection of his father's works and scattered references to him in university matriculation lists and personal correspondence, very little is known about him.But all of the pamphlets and sermons which he published during the course of his career as a re former have survived.It is from these that one gains an understanding of his development as a theologian and propa gandist for evangelical doctrines.It was not until the nineteenth century that Rhegius became the subject of serious biographical study.The first ii work by H. Ch.Helmbtirger, Urbanus Rhegius; Nach gedruckten und ungedruckten Quellen (Hamburg»Gotha, 1851}, was uncri tical In Its use of sources and fawning In its praise of Rhegius.Gerhard Uhlhorn's biography, Urbanus Rhegius; Leben und ausgewâhlte Schrlften (Elberfeld, 1862}, was the first scholarly account of Rhegius* life and works.Al though Uhlhorn adduced evidence which Helmbttrger had neg lected, he was often quite cursory in his treatment of Rhe gius' pamphlets.In contrast to these two books, which were sympathetic to Rhegius and to the Reformation, Patrlcius Wittmann's Augsburger "Reformatoren" (Stuttgart, 188]) was virulently anti-Protestant.Nevertheless, Wittmann expanded considerably on the history of Augsburg In order to present Rhegius in a more precise historical setting.It is the aim of the present dissertation to present a fuller account of Rhegius' published works and to examine his thought and actions within the context of Reformation history.During the course of my research and writing, I have incurred a number of debts which I wish to acknowledge.I would like to express my appreciation to Professor Harold J. Grimm for the encouragement and help which he has given me throughout the entire undertaking.Thanks are also due to Drs.Gerhard Powltz and Herbert Buch, co-directors of the Handschrlften Abtellung of the Stadts-und UniversItMtsblbliothek, Frankfurt am Main, for making available to