Faber, Johanni

Faber, Johanni (named MALLEUS HIERETICORUM from one of his books against Protestants), archbishop of Vienna, was born at Leutkirch, in Suabia, in 1478, and studied at Freiburg. He, easily entered the Domninican order. His talents secured him rapid advancement. In 1519 the bishop of Constance made him his vicar general, and in 1526 he was made confessor to Ferdinand (afterwards emperor). At first his literary associations made him friendly with Erasmus and OEcolampadius, and especially with Zwingle, and he opposed the sale of indulgences in Switzerland strenuously. But about 1520 he went rapidly round to the other extreme of opinion, and in 1522 appeared his Opus adversus nova quaedam dogmata M. Lutheri.

After this he was an unwearied opponent of the Reformation in writings, colloquies, conferences, etc. His zeal was rewarded by the bishopric of Vienna, to which he was raised in 1531. He died in 1541. His principal writings are the Malleus Haereticorun (1524, and Rome, 1569; a revision of the Opus above named), and sermons and controversial writings collected into 3 volumes, fol. (Cologne, 1537-1541). — Dupin. Ecclesiastes Hist. cent. 16, page 433: Kettuer, Diss. de I. Fabri. Vita et Scriptis (Lips. 1735, 4to); Herzog, Real-Encyclop. 4:307; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generales, 16:894.