Geert Groote

Geert Groote, or Gerardus Magnus, (* 1340 in Deventer, † August 20, 1384 ) was a Dutch theologian and preacher.

He was born in Deventer, the son of Kaufman's. When he was ten, his parents died, five years later he began his studies at the Sorbonne University.

Rezipiert had Groote particular writings of Augustine of Hippo ( 354-430 ), and Bernard of Clairvaux ( 1090-1153 ); his teacher was Jan van Ruysbroek.

After he had lived for several years rather extravagant, he came, possibly after a meeting with his friend Heinrich von Calcar, a Carthusian monk, in 1374 to stop. After a few years in a convent in Arnhem, he decided to return through other penitential sermons (including against married clergy or rich ) to the right doctrine.

He won many adherents to the group of the Modern Devotion (modern piety ) merged together. From this, the Sisters and Brothers of the Common Life and the Windesheim Congregation originated its name from the monastery of Windesheim near Zwolle.

The most important writing of this fraternity, which found wide circulation, was the imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis.

His views, especially on the subject of marriage, got him the enmity of the bishop, who eluded him permission to preach. Then he spread his views on personal conversations, pamphlets and small books. He translated the Latin Missal into Low German.

He influenced Luther, John Calvin, Ignatius of Loyola, and Copernicus.

His evangelical feast day is August 21.