Mosheim, Ruprecht Von

Mosheim, Ruprecht von a German religious enthusiast, was born in the first half of the 15th century. He believed himself commissioned of God to unite the four systems of religion-Papacy, Lutheranism, Zwinglianism, and Anabaptism-prevalent during the Reformatory period, and to lay the foundation of a new Jerusalem. He rejected all prevailing creeds as antiChristian, and prayed for another reformatory movement that might unite all followers of Jesus. To further this end he also entered into negotiations with the evangelical theologians, Osiander and Venatorius, in 1539. But these negotiations were soon broken off. On the part of Romanists he was disliked from the first, for he was severe upon the immoral conduct of the clergy, the withholding of the cup, and the sale of indulgences. This brought him into conflict also with the emperor Ferdinand, in whose presence he hesitated not to deliver an oration against the papacy. He also went to Vienna to speak to the papal nuncio Morone, in order to get an interview with the pope; but instead of being afforded an opportunity to go to Rome, he was called by order of emperor Ferdinand before the authorities of the convent at Hazenau, and accused of heresy. The prince elector of Mentz had his work De monarchia et renascentia Christiance fidei examined, and the ecclesiastical judge condemning him guilty of heresy, Mosheim was put into prison, and there died in 1544.