Eberhard Billick

Eberhard Billick O. Carm (* 1499 in Cologne, † January 12, 1557 in Cologne) was controversial theologian and designated auxiliary bishop of Cologne.

Life

Billick joined in 1513 the Order of the Carmelites in Cologne and studied philosophy and theology. In the Cologne convent he was in 1525 prefect of studies, in 1528 the first lecturer and 1536 Prior worked since 1540 as a professor at the University of Cologne, was chosen him 1542 in his order to the Provincial of the Lower German Province and 1546/1547 Vicar General of the Upper German Province.

Within its effort to reform the Order, he was at the same time as one of the principal leaders of the resistance to the Archbishop of Cologne, Hermann V of Wied, who together with Martin Butzer in the Archdiocese of Cologne, the Reformation sought to introduce. Woven Thus, in the struggle against the Reformation took Billick part in the religious discussions of Haguenau ( 1540), Worms ( 1540/1541 ), Regensburg (1541 and 1546) and Augsburg ( 1547). In the years 1551 and 1552 worked at the Council of Trent, Billick came to the honor of an introduction sermon for the year 1552. Although Billick was also convinced of a necessary reform within the Catholic Church, he strove tirelessly for the preservation of the Catholic faith and was appointed in 1556 as Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Cologne. But he could not take office because he still died before his episcopal ordination.

Billick was a close associate of John Gropper in the struggle against the Reformation. Together with the Archbishop of Cologne, Adolf III. of Schaumburg and John Gropper he attended as Provincial of his order in 1551 the Council of Trent, where he acted as a theologian of the Council. At the Council Billick gave a lecture on 16 December 1551 the sacrament of Orders, and stopped before the Council Fathers, the New Year's sermon.