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  • Unser Martin. Martin Luther aus der Sicht katholischer Sympathisantenby Franz Posset
  • Kurt K. Hendel
Unser Martin. Martin Luther aus der Sicht katholischer Sympathisanten. By Franz Posset. Reformationsgeschichtliche Studien und Texte. Band 161. Münster: Aschendorff, 2015. 177 pp.

Posset introduces four Roman Catholic theologians, all Luther sympathizers who sought to proclaim the “evangelical truth” but who chose to remain active within the Roman Catholic Church, specifically, the Diocese of Augsburg.

Bernhard Adelmann was a canon of the Augsburg Cathedral after attending several European universities, including Basel, where he studied with Johannes Reuchlin. He befriended Johannes Oecolampadius and Willibald Pirckheimer and became an ardent opponent of Johannes Eck. He also met Luther, when the Wittenberg Reformer appeared before Cardinal Cajetan (1518), corresponded with Luther, and called him “our Luther” in letters to colleagues. Luther acknowledged him as “our Adelmann” and dedicated his Short Sermon on Usuryto him. While Adelmann clearly was a Luther sympathizer, he served the Roman Catholic Church throughout his life.

Caspar Amman was, next to Reuchlin, the most important Christian Hebraist of his time. As prior of the Augustinian community in Lauingen, he promoted learning, collected a substantial library, which included at least thirty Luther pamphlets, and fostered strict observance of the Order’s Rule. He produced a Hebrew grammar, never published, and was the first translator of the Psalter into German directly from the Hebrew text. Deeply impacted by Luther’s writings and reforms, he called the Reformer “our apostle,” but also wrote to Luther in 1522 criticizing his translation of Matthew 16:18 in the September Testament. There is no evidence that Luther responded. Apparently no direct contact occurred between the two Augustinian brothers.

Vitus Bild studied in Ingolstadt, joined the Benedictine Order in 1503, and was ordained in 1504. A man of diverse intellectual gifts, his interests included music theory, the manufacture of sun clocks, the writing of horoscopes, the production of liturgical calendars, and chiromancy. Bild also became interested in Luther’s theology and reform movement, collected pamphlets written by a variety of reformers, and sought to correspond with Luther. In letters to other [End Page 106]colleagues he praised Luther for his proclamation of the gospel and referred to him as the “deliverer” or “savior” of Germany. He also sought to purchase his writings. Bild remained a conservative reformer, however, opposed the impact of Zwinglian sacramental theology, and never renounced his monastic vows.

Kaspar Haslach was a parish priest after studying in Wittenberg, Freiburg, and Basel. Although he apparently did not publish, marginal notes in his books provide evidence of his evangelical theological perspectives. He criticized the pope as the antichrist, reprimanded church leaders for their fiscal abuses and opposition to the truth, and praised Luther as an “apostolic man” and as “our apostle” who proclaimed evangelical truth. He also rejected the freedom of the will and emphasized that faith, not works, justifies. Suspected of Lutheran leanings, he had to defend himself before the Augsburg ecclesiastical authorities, agreed that Luther was rightfully condemned, promised not to read Luther’s writings, and claimed that he was not a Lutheran. It appears, however, that he continued to reject the meritorious nature of works, to emphasize God’s grace, and to insist on justification through Christ alone. Thus he remained evangelically-inclined, even as he professed his loyalty to the Roman Catholic Church.

The concise, yet informative, biographical sketches of four Roman Catholic reformers during the early years of the Reformation are the chief scholarly contribution here. With these sketches Posset helps rescue these men from historical obscurity and confirms that the spirit of reform and a keen interest in Luther’s evangelical theology were very much alive among some Roman Catholic leaders who refused to call themselves Lutherans. Appreciation for Luther and his positive reputation among certain segments of the Roman Catholic community are also highlighted. Posset’s careful and creative research, based largely on neglected primary sources, is to be commended.

The most likely readers will be Reformation scholars who seek to address lacunae in their field of expertise. It will also be of interest to doctoral candidates who wish to enhance their knowledge of secondary leaders of the Reformation...

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