Ursinus (Beer), Zacharias

Ursinus (Beer), Zacharias a German theologian of the 16th century, the friend and pupil of Melancthon, the-friend of Calvin and Peter Martyr, and one of the two authors of the Heidelberg Catechism, was born at Breslau, July 18, 1534.

He accompanied Melancthon to the religious colloquy of Worms in August, 1557; afterwards visited Calvin at Geneva; and, finally, went to Paris, where he studied Hebrew under Jean Mercier. On his return he was called to the service of his native city, and became fourth professor of the Collegia Primi Ordinis in September, 1558; but the mildness of his views respecting the eucharist having excited controversy, he solicited a release from that office, which was granted April 26, 1560. In this dispute he wrote the Theses de Sacramentis (in Tract. Theol. an. 1584, p. 339-382). He went to Zurich, and became the companion and pupil of Peter Martyr, with the result that he discovered himself to be no Lutheran, and not even a mere Philipist, but altogether a supporter of the views of Calvin, Beza, and Peter Martyr.