Georg Major
Georg Major, actually Meier ( born April 25, 1502 Nuremberg, † November 28, 1574 in Wittenberg ) was a Lutheran theologian.
Life
Georg Major had initially attended school in Dresden, the end of 1511 came to the University of Wittenberg, where he signed the matriculation college. He was first electoral choirboy until 1521, he took up studies in Wittenberg. On March 31, 1522 he was Bacccalaurus and acquired in 1523 the degree of Master of the seven liberal arts. As a student of Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon, he was in 1529 rector of the school of Magdeburg. In 1537 he became preacher at the castle church of Wittenberg, his doctorate at December 18, 1544 in Wittenberg as a doctor of theology, became professor of theology in the same year.
From August 1547 to October 1548 he was pin Superintendent am Dom in Merseburg, returned on March 21, 1548 back to Wittenberg, went in December 1551 to the end of 1552 as a General Superintendent to Eisleben to the St. Andrew's Church and remained until his death provost at the castle Church in Wittenberg. Major was in his entire academic time over several years dean of the theological faculty of Wittenberg University and four times ( in the winter semester of 1540, in the winter semester 1544 summer semester 1561 summer semester 1567) president of the Alma Mater, and in the summer semester 1559 Vice-Rector.
He took in 1541 at the Regensburg Colloquy and in 1548 participated in the negotiations on the Leipziger article. From this activity, his controversy developed ( Majoristischer dispute ) with Nicholas of Amsdorf about the relationship of faith to good works. Major, initially supported herein by Justus Menius, claiming their necessity for salvation, while Amsdorf hinstellte good works as harmful to salvation and Striegel find support at Matthias Flacius and Viktorin. Major, who was superintendent in 1550 in Eisleben become, but returned the following year to his activities in Wittenberg, took to avoid misunderstandings, in 1562 his expression. The Lutheran Formula of Concord rejected both opinions.
Family
Major had married on August 10, 1528 Magarethe of Mochau († October 10, 1577 in Wittenberg). He was thus a brother of Andreas Bodenstein and Gerhard Westerburg. From this marriage 12 children were born. Known of these are:
- Georg († May 8, 1558 ) was a lawyer and left a widow with two daughters Gertraud.
- Leonhard (* 1533, † September 17, 1547 in Merseburg ) immatr. UWB August 18, 1540, died on the bite of a rabid dog.
- Johannes ( * 1544, † August 22 1552 in Merseburg )
- Christoph († May 8, 1558 / (59 ) in Wittenberg)
- Magarethe Major (* 1533, † January 31, 1573 in Wittenberg) married the notary on the Wittenberg consistory Drachstedt Friedrich (* 1529 in Eisleben; † May 8, 1600 in Wittenberg).
- Elisabeth ( † 1560, 18 - year)
- Marie ( † October 18, 1569 ), who married on October 16, 1564 Master Paul Eber the Younger ( teacher).
- Anna married the theologian Paul Crell.
- Catherine, on June 15, 1561 the Eisenach Magister Johann Pürgold ( from Eisenach, student since May 7, 1558 Wittenberg, August 8 Magister, a pastor in Weissenfels ) married. She married her second husband on May 20, 1576 Johann Heidelberg from Eisleben, who had studied in Witenberg since October 15, 1569.
- Eva married on December 22, 1565 John Hooper (also Boetticher, Botticher, Stanhufius from Ruppin ); she died in Zerbst and is buried there as a woman of the syndic of the city on November 23, 1573 (Roth funeral sermons 9637 ).
Works
Georg Major: A Kurtze vermanung that all Christians are guilty, the example of the follow bekerten Schechers after (...), Wittenberg 1543 ( translation of the treatise De exemplo emendati latronis propugnantis gloriam Christi in cruce Philipp Melanchthon ( 1540), VD. 16 M 3326 ) (online).