Stephan Agricola (c. 1491–1547)[1] was a Lutheran church reformer. Born in Abensberg, at a young age he joined the Augustinian order. As a monk, he studied Augustine deeply.[2] As a student, he went to the universities in Bologna and Venice, where in 1519 he became a Doctor of Theology. He began to preach on whole books of the Bible in 1520.[2] He was led to Lutheranism through his study of Augustine's works on the scriptures.[3] He was accused of Lutheranism as a heresy.[2] Although he claimed his independence of Luther, he was arrested and imprisoned in Mühldorf on November 17, 1522.[2] In 1523 he escaped and came to Augsburg, where with Urbanus Rhegius he fully accepted the Reformation and translated Johannes Bugenhagen's tract ag. Zwingjli into German.[2] He was on the Lutheran side during the Marburg Colloquy, became pastor in Hof in 1532,[2] took part in the meeting at Schmalkalden in 1537,[1] and signed the Smalcald Articles.[4] He was instrumental in introducing the Reformation in the Upper Palatinate, as he was pastor at Sulzbach beginning in 1542.[2] During the Schmalkaldic War, he had to flee to Eisleben,[2] where he died in old age on April 10–11, 1547. Stephen Agricola was a staunch uncompromising Lutheran, earnest and devoted. His son, Stephen, translated some of Luther's commentaries on the minor prophets.[2]
- ^ a b Concordia Cyclopedia article on Stephan Agricola
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Henry Eyster Jacobs, Lutheran Cyclopedia p. 6, "Agricola, Stephen"
- ^ Smith and Jacobs, Luther's Correspondence and Other Contemporary Letters Vol. II, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1918, p.501, see footnote.
- ^ Smalcald Articles, trans. Bente and Dau, Triglot Concordia, (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921), pp.453-529.