Bidembach

Bidembach a name common to a number of Protestant theologians, of whom we mention the following:

1. BALTHASAR, doctor of theology and provost at Stuttgart, was born at Grunberg in 1533. He studied at Tubingen; was at first pastor and superintendent at Blaubeuren, and in 1562 court-preacher and member of consistory at Stuttgart. In 1570 he succeeded Johann Brenz (q.v.), and died in 1578. He wrote Homilioe in Libros. Priores Regum, and published 122 sermons on Paul's epistle to the Romans. See Koch, Gesch. d. deutschen Kirchenliedes, ii, 291 sq.; Fischlin, Memoria theol. Wirtenberg. (Ulm, 1709), 1, 142-146.

2. EBERHARD, doctor of theology, was a brother of Balthasar and of Wilhelm. He was born at Grinberg, July 2, 1528, and studied at Stuttgart and Tubingen. In 1552 he was appointed deacon, in 1557 was made doctor of theology, and in 1558 pastor and superintendent at Vayingen. In 1560 he was appointed general superintendent of Wirtemberg and abbot of Bebenhausen. He died April 24, 1597, having the year before attended the colloquy at Ratisbon. See Fischlin, Memoria theol. Wurtemberg.

3. FELIX, son of Wilhelm, was born at Stuttgart, Sept. 8, 1564., He studied at Tubingen; in 1586 was deacon at Weiblingen, and in 1590 at Stuttgart. In 1592 he was made member of consistory and court preacher there, in 1604 doctor of theology, and in 1608 abbot of Maulbrunn. He died in 1612. He wrote, Exposition on the Books of Samuel and Psalms: — Consiliorum Theologicorum Decades X, which he edited with the assistance of his brother,

4. JOHANN MORITZ, who prepared the ninth and tenth of the Decades.

5. WILHELM, brother of Balthasar and Eberhard, and father of Felix and Johann, was born Nov. 2, 1538, at Tubingen, where he also studied. In 1559, he became pastor of St. Leonhard at Stuttgart, and in 1563 was made doctor of theology. He died April 6, 1572. He wrote, Consensus Jesuitarum et Christianorum: — Responsio ad Jesuitas; Epistoles Novem ad Joannem Marbachium, etc. See Fischlin, memoria theol. Wurtemberg; Jocher, Allgemeines Gelehrten-Lexikon, s.v. (B. P.)