View source for Osiander, Lucas, Sr. (1534-1604)

Lucas Osiander Sr. (1534-1604), a Lutheran divine, the son of [[Osiander, Andreas (1498-1552)|Andreas Osiander]], court chaplain in 1567, was councillor to [[Ludwig, Duke of Württemberg (1554-1593)|Louis, Duke of Württemberg]], 1568-93. Osiander took part in the introduction of the Swabian Concordia Formula drawn up by his brother-in-law [[Andreae, Jakob (1528-1590)|Jakob Andreae]] in 1574 (see [[Formula of Concord (Lutheran Church)|Formula of Concord]]), and in disputes with imprisoned [[Anabaptism|Anabaptists]] in Württemberg. Thus he cross-examined [[Glock, Paul (d. 1585)|Paul Glock]] the [[Hutterian Brethren (Hutterische Brüder)|Hutterite]] missionary from [[Moravia (Czech Republic)|Moravia]], who had been in the [[Hohenwittlingen (Baden-Württemberg, Germany)|Hohenwittlingen prison]] for 15 years, in the presence of the court chaplain M. Johann Stecher, the pastor of Urach, the <em>Landhofmeister</em> and four councillors of the chancellory, and tried to persuade him that the Anabaptist doctrines on [[Infant Baptism|infant baptism]], communion, and the oath, and their views on Christian government were "not godly"; but he could not refute the Biblically grounded Anabaptist preacher.

Several years later Osiander published a book in defense of infant baptism, titled <em>Ein Predig Von dem Widertauff. Sampt angehenckter Historien, Welcher gestalt sich die Widertauffer Anno 1534 zu Münster gehalten. Wie selbige geschichten H. Dorpius . . . beschrieben</em> (Tübingen, 1582; in [[Mennonite Historical Library (Goshen, Indiana, USA)|Mennonite Historical Library]], [[Goshen (Indiana, USA)|Goshen]], Indiana, USA). In an opinion on 28 January 1584 he opposed all others at the session by sponsoring gentler treatment of Anabaptists on the ground that there were various wings among them, some erring only in matters of faith, and otherwise obedient to authority ([[Bossert, Gustav (1841-1925)|Bossert]], 579-581). In his <em>Bauernpostille</em> of 1597 he warns against "bothering rural churches with subtle disputations."

His son Lucas Osiander, Jr. (1571-1638), was professor of theology and from 1620 chancellor of the University of Tübingen. He also published a book against the Anabaptists titled <em>Enchiridion controversiarum quae Augustanae Confessionis Theologis cum Anabaptistis intercedunt</em> (Tübingen, 1605; second edition 1614, in [[Mennonite Historical Library (Goshen, Indiana, USA)|Mennonite Historical Library]], Goshen, Indiana, USA).
= Bibliography =
Bossert, Gustav. <em>Quellen zur Geschichte der Täufer I. Band, Herzogtum Württemberg</em>. Leipzig: M. Heinsius, 1930: 350-58.

Braght, Thieleman J. van. <em>Het Bloedigh Tooneel of Martelaers Spiegel der Doops-gesinde of Weereloose Christenen, Die om 't getuygenis van Jesus haren Salighmaker geleden hebben ende gedood zijn van Christi tijd of tot desen tijd toe. Den Tweeden Druk</em>. Amsterdam: Hieronymus Sweerts, ..., 1685. Part II: 714.

Braght, Thieleman J. van. <em>The Bloody Theatre or Martyrs' Mirror of the Defenseless Christians Who Baptized Only upon Confession of Faith and Who Suffered and Died for the Testimony of Jesus Their Saviour . . . to the Year A.D. 1660</em>. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1951: 1024. Available online at: [http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/index.htm http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/contents.htm].

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. <em>Mennonitisches Lexikon</em>, 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe; Schneider, 1913-1967: v. III, 313.

Jocher, Christian Gottlieb.<em> Allgemeines Gelehrten-Lexikon : darinne die Gelehrten aller Stände sowohl männ- als weiblichen Geschlechts, welche vom Anfange der Welt bis auf ieszige Zeit gelebt, und sich der gelehrten Welt bekannt gemacht : nach ihrer Geburt, Leben, merckwürdigen Geschichten, Absterben und Schrifften aus den glaubwürdigsten Scribenten in alphabetischer Ordnung beschrieben werden</em>: 1751. Reprinted Hildesheim : G. Olms, 1960-1961: v. III.

Walter, J. von. <em>Die Geschichte des Christentums</em> III. Gutersloh, 1935: 439.
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