Osiander, Lucas (1)

Osiander, Lucas (1), called THE ELDER, son of Andreas Osiander (1), was born at Nuremburg Dec. 16 1534. He accompanied his father to Konigsberg, and was educated at that high school. Upon the completion of his studies he went to Suabia, and was made deacon at Goppingen in 1555, and two years later special superintendent at Blaubeuern; in 1560 he passed with the same title to Stuttgard, where he was appointed court preacher in 1567; and finally in 1593 he was appointed prelate of Adelberg. Here his violent denunciation of the Jews, who were protected by the duke from motives of policy, caused him to be ejected about 1596, and he withdrew to Esslingen; in this city he preached for about a year without any salary; but he finally returned to Stuttgard, and there was made general superintendent of the churches of Wurtemberg. He died Sept. 7,1604. His activity was as remarkable as his erudition. He had taken part in the conferences of Maulbronn in 1564, and also in 1576, when he assisted in framing the so-called Formula of Maulbronn; also in the conferences of Mompelgard in 1586, and of Regensburg in 1594. In 1584 he had taken an active part in opposing the persecutions directed against the Anabaptists. He wrote against Sturm in defense of the Formula of Concord; against Mentzer on the human nature of Christ; against Huber on the doctrine of election; against the Reformed theologians on the controverted points; against the Jesuits, etc. He even published a treatise against Mohammedanism. Osiander's principal works are, Epitomes historiae ecclesiasticae centuriae xv (ex Historia Magdeburgica) (Tilb. 1607, 3 Vols. 4to): — Enchiridion controversiarum, qpua Augustance Confessionis theologis cum Anabaptistis intercedunt (Witeb. 1614, sm. 8vo): — Enchiridion controversiarum, quas Augustance Confessionis theologi habent cume Calvinianis (ibid. 1614, sm. 8vo): — Enchiridion controversiarum religionis, puce hodie inter A ugustance Confessionis theologos et pontificios habentur (ibid. 1615, sm. 8vo): — Biblia Lat. ad fontes Hebraici textus eenedata, cum brevi et perspicua expositione Lucas Osiandri inversis locis theologicts (1574-1586, 7 vols. 4to; 13th ed. 1635; it was also translated into German by David Forster [Stuttg. 1609], and passed through many editions): — Institutiones Christiance Religionis; Postella Evangeliorum; De ratione concionandi (Tilb. 1582, 8vo; twice reprinted): — Adndonitio de studiis Verbi divini ministrorum privatis recte instituendis (ibid. 1691, 8vo). See Jocher, Allg. Gelehr. — Lexikon; J. G. Walch, Biblioth. theologica selecta; Neander, Hist. Christian Dogmas; Frischlinus, Memoria Theol. Wurtemb. 1:146 sq.; Schrockh. Kirchengesch. s. d. Ref. 4:428, 468, 671; Fuhrmann, Handworterb. der Kirchengesch. s.'v.