Amling, Wolfgang

Amling, Wolfgang a Protestant theologian of Germany, was born in 1542 at Munnerstadt, in Franconia. He studied at Tubingen, Wittenberg, and Jena. In 1566 he was called as rector to Zerbst, but in 1569 he gave up this position. After having travelled for some time, he was, in 1573, appointed pastor at Koswig, in Anhalt. In the same year, however, he went as pastor of St. Nicolaus's and superintendent to Zerbst, where he died, May 18,1606. Amling was a very gifted and learned man, but takes no prominent place in the history of theological science. He is only known by his opposition to the Formula of Concord, and by his bringing over a large proportion of Anhalt to the Reformed Church. He is also the author of the so-called Confessio Anhaldina (published in 1578), although it is unjustly called so, because it was only a private document. See Jocher, Allgemeines Gelehrten-Lexikon, s.v.; Baumann, Historic des Furstenthums Anhalt, vi, 100-142; Schubring, Die Einfurung der reform. Confession in Anhalt, in the Zeitschrift fur die Gesch. d. luth. Theologie u. Kirche, 1848; Plitt, in. Herzog's Real Encyklop. s.v. (B. P.)