Heerbrand, Jakob

Heerbrand, Jakob a Lutheran theologian, was born at Giengen Aug. 12, 1521. After studying at Ulm and Wittenberg, he was ordained at Tübingen, from whence he was banished for objecting to the Interim; but he was soon recalled, and made pastor of Herrenberg. In 1551, duke Christopher sent him as one of the theological delegates to the Council of Trent. Charles, prince of Baden, employed him in reforming the churches in his dominions, and in 1560 he was chosen professor of divinity at Tübingen, where he died May 22, 1600. Of his works, which are numerous both in German and Latin, the principal is Compendium Theologiae (Tübingen, 1578, fol., often reprinted), a work which long held its place as a textbook. The negotiations between the Tübingen theologians of that time and the patriarch of Constantinople caused this compend to be translated into Greek (by M. Crusius), and to be sent to Constantinople. The Greek translation was published, together with the original, at Wittenberg in 1782. His opponents used to call him, on account of his polemical zeal, Hollbrand ("hell-fire"). See Melchior Adam, Vit. Theologorum, 1, 137; Hook, Eccl. Biography, vol. 5.; Herzog, Real- Encyklop. 5, 627.