Order of Saint Augustine

The Order of Augustinian Hermits (lat. Ordo Eremitarum Sancti Augustini, religious symbol OESA ), 1963 Order of Saint Augustine ( Ordo Sancti Augustini, religious symbol: OSA ), was the fourth major mendicant orders of the late Middle Ages - by the Franciscans, Dominicans and Carmelites. The after church father Augustine of Hippo called religious community depends, like other Augustinian Order also, according to the Augustine rule. The habit consists of a black habit, a leather belt and a black hood. Pope John XXIII. made in 1963 highlight the additional name " hermit " because the eremitic life had ceased shortly after the foundation to be a hallmark of the Order.

  • 3.1 The Order and Luther
  • 3.2 Crisis and resurgence
  • 4.1 Crisis by secularization and Revolution
  • 4.2 Development since the 19th century

Development, internal organization and tasks

The Order was created in the 13th century by a merger of several older Italian, loosely organized groups of hermits in a structured order. Was initiated the " grand unification " of Pope Innocent IV, who held a founding meeting in Rome in 1244. The unification process with the Papal Bull Licet ecclesiae catholicae was completed by Alexander IV on April 9, 1256: From now on the Tuscan hermits who Janboniten that Brictinenser that Wilhelmiten and the Hermits of St. Augustine together formed the Order of Augustinian Hermits. The Augustine rule was chosen because since the fourth Lateran Council of 1215, the founding of new orders was actually forbidden, so that new combinations had to take over an existing rule. In return, the Augustine rule suited particularly well, as it was not very extensive and left open many practical questions. It could therefore be supplemented at the Augustinian Hermits as well as in other religious traditions by special ( Consuetudines ), which then accounted for the Special of the respective religious community. In the case of the Augustinian Hermits, which lacked a central founding figure, led the takeover of the Augustine rule but also that one Augustine as a religious saint - soon even occasionally erroneously as the founder - and looked at the theology of the church father particularly noticed.

Much like the Franciscans and Dominicans also the Augustinian Hermits in the ideals of the " evangelical " oriented (ie evangelical ) Poverty and the " apostolic " (ie, early Christian, apostle same ) fraternity; they are therefore included among the mendicant orders or mendicants. This had, inter alia, to the fact of that there was no fundamental difference in status between priests and lay brothers, but in the latter chapters ( meetings ) were full voting rights and in principle also had access to all offices. On the issue of poverty, the Augustinians were less severe than the Franciscans. For example, the question was whether a brother in private ownership was allowed limits have not clearly decided.

Like the other mendicant orders also had the Augustinian Hermits a constitution with strong democratic elements: Each House ( conventus, single monastery) had a local chapter, which met several times a year and discussed pending issues and decided. The individual houses were joined together in provinces where every 4 years provincial chapters were held, which sent the individual monasteries representative. In addition, there was every 6 years a general chapter, to which again all provinces sent representatives. The head of the Order, the General ( prior generalis ) was chosen by this General Chapter, but had to be confirmed by the Pope. The prince of a province, the Provincial ( prior provincialis ) was elected by the provincial chapter, the head of a single house, however, the prior, was determined not by the affected brothers, but by the Provincial and his councilors.

Simultaneously with their merger, the Augustinian hermits gave up their eremitical life, so that the Order name was misleading from the outset. The Augustinians moved not in isolated areas back, there to cultivate the contemplative prayer, but settled in a rule in the cities. There they took care especially to preaching and pastoral care, and later also to education and mission; this task fields are in principle remained to this day the same.

Middle Ages

Propagation, Crisis and Reform

Shortly after the foundation led to a major crisis since the many formerly independent groups, including the Wilhelmiten and the Tuscan brothers, wanted to pursue their independent traditions and for the official ecclesiastical permission ( Dispense ) received by the popes, what with conflicts the intent on uniformity order leadership led. The Wilhelmiten retired in 1266 even back completely out of the medals back. Nevertheless, the existence of the new order was never compromised, the very dynamic developed in the first decades of its existence.

The Augustinian hermits had been conceded by the episcopal jurisdiction from the beginning by Innocent IV the privilege of exemption, ie they could manage their affairs independently of the wishes of the respective local bishops. The Order spread over wide areas of Europe. To 1295 saw the establishment of Provinces in the territories of present-day states Italy, Germany, Hungary, France, Great Britain and Spain. Until 1456 saw overall even 30 Provinces, with each containing several monasteries; there were religious houses in many parts of Europe, from Portugal to Poland and from England to Cyprus.

In 1256 Germany was the first monastery called Marienthal near Wesel, founded in the forest near the village Beylar. Due to the rapid growth of the German Province - end of the 13th century, there were already about 80 monasteries - this was initially split into four smaller provinces. These are the cologne Belgian, Saxon-Thuringian, Swabian and Bavarian province of the order. Later were added still further.

To their role as pastors and preachers comply, put the Augustinians from the start value to a good education of the friars. For this purpose, inter alia, Founded in 1259 in Paris, a study house of the Order, which was soon followed by others. In the German provinces, there was such a " general studies " to train prospective theologians in Erfurt, Cologne, Magdeburg, Prague, Strasbourg and Vienna, of which Erfurt and Strasbourg were the most important.

After a bloom of the Order in the first half of the 14th century there was from about 1350 - as at this time in most religious - to decay. This showed, inter alia, to in the softening of poverty and ideal of community of property and in the neglect of the common choral prayer. This development is attributable, inter alia, on the general crisis of the church which is in the great Western Schism (1378-1414), ie the splitting of the church into two parts, each with a different obeyed Pope expressed.

As a counter movement to the expiry of the Order soon formed special groups within the Order, called watchers, who wanted to follow the rule more accurately reflect and reform monastic life. They joined in the course of the 14th and 15th centuries to separate congregations with their own provincial structure together. In Germany, the Observant organized in the Saxon- Thuringian reform congregation, which was under the direction of Andreas Proles and later the conveyor Luther (Johann von Staupitz ). The best known member of this reform congregation was the later reformer Martin Luther. Due to the interaction of the forces of reform, the Order of Augustinian Hermits was the beginning of the 16th century, again overall in good condition.

The female Order of Augustinian Hermits, the Augustinian hermits was, in contrast to those of the other mendicant orders not particularly pronounced in the Middle Ages. In the Archdiocese of Cologne was about in the 16th century alone in a Merten d win such a monastery. In this monastery, it was, however, a former Augustinian convent choir, which was transferred to the Order of Augustinian Hermits due to major grievances.

Theological orientation

Its nature, the Augustinian Hermits were strongly oriented towards the teaching of religious saint Augustine. The Augustinian orientation had, inter alia, to the fact that, in the Order of theology the divine grace that saved the sinner without regard human works, played an important role, making sure the monk and later with Martin Luther influenced. Likewise, great emphasis was placed on studying the Bible; also may not be left on Luther without effect.

A completely different direction, the Order theology was in the 13th and 14th century, the application of the authority of the Pope in all - even in secular - matters. In the conflict between the secular power and the papacy, the Order was firmly on the side of the Popes. During the disputes between the French king Philip the Fair and Pope Boniface VIII, the major Augustinian theologian Augustine Triumphus Aegidius Romanus and underpinned by their works the claim to power of the Popes.

Reformation and Catholic Reform

The Order and Luther

The Order won a special historical significance in that it was awarded the Order of Luther. The Reformer himself acquired his theological education as an Augustinian monk and entered by the Order to his position as professor of theology at Wittenberg, which only allowed him to be heard in the dispute over the sale of indulgences.

Luther entered on July 15, 1505 in Erfurt in the Augustinian order a. The Erfurt Convention was a numerically important branch of the Order. 1508 witnessed here are 52 monks. A particular object of the monastery was the " General Studies " to form the theological religious offspring, which existed since the 14th century. It was closely associated with the University of Erfurt: One of the professors of theology was always provided by the Augustinian Hermits. Why Luther just decided to enter at the Augustinian Hermits, is unknown. What is certain is that the Erfurt monastery, which was part of the independent within the Order of Saxony and Thuringia Reform Congregation, was considered particularly strict.

Important for the future career of the young monk was his promotion by Staupitz, the Vicar of the Reform Congregation. It was important that these strove to unite the Observant back with the other, non -reformed convents in Germany under its own line to a single province. The aim was to extend such reform at all monasteries. Resistance to this initiative had it not of the reformed convents, who feared a dilution of reform and ultimately successfully removed from the Association. This resistance was also from the Erfurt monastery: In the context of this dispute, Luther was sent jointly with another monk on his famous trip to Rome. In the latest research, the previously held view is very controversial, he would have been sent in 1510 from the Erfurt monastery with the mission to Rome to " appeal " against this union to. The greater part of the Erfurt Augustinian Hermits refused to do lasting concern Staupitz '. A small part of the Erfurt Convention, however, to which Luther belonged, then decided to obedience to the Superiors and advocated the union. Following this, Luther was transferred in late summer 1511 to Wittenberg in the direct sphere of influence Staupitz '. There, the Augustinian convent was involved in the construction of the newly created University. Latest research believe it is more likely that Luther 1511/12 traveled from Wittenberg on behalf of Staupitz to Rome. Luther took over in Wittenberg in 1512, after he had been his doctorate of theology, as successor Staupitz ' the Bible professor and thus also in the non-church public very prestigious position. He also coined in Wittenberg as head of religious studies, a significant proportion of prospective theologians of the Augustinian and earned a district vicar, who was responsible for overseeing a number of convents, standing among his brothers. All this was for the great response that Luther found in slightly later onset, drain dispute, not without significance.

At the beginning of the Reformation disputes Luther was supported by his order, and especially of Staupitz. While but over the increasingly dramatic events many Augustinian Hermits fully joined Luther arose between him and his patron Staupitz to alienation. 1518 gave birth to Staupitz his protege from his duty of obedience when it came in Augsburg between this and the papal legate Cardinal Cajetan to an open confrontation. If this was still a measure that probably served mainly to protect Luther, the resignation Staupitz ' offices of his order in 1520, can only be understood as a distancing from the increasingly radical Reformation development. Staupitz withdrew to Salzburg, where he entered the Benedictine Order and abbot of the monastery of St. Peter was. Nevertheless, remained the contact between him and Luther get; in the last letter Staupitz ' at Luther from April 1, 1524 it is clear that he, not the way of the Reformer went along, but human held him still. Luther still wore the habit of his order to 1524, but had the latest with his important manifestos of 1520 who underwent the traditional church life to a fundamental critique, stopped a monk in the strict sense, too.

Crisis and resurgence

In the time of the Reformation, the Order experienced a severe crisis and lost many of his brothers and offices in the emerging Protestant churches. The Saxon-Thuringian province, which had belonged to Luther, dissolved completely on, and also the Cologne province was decimated. There was thus in the Archdiocese of Cologne in the mid-16th century, only the monastery in the imperial city of Cologne. A total of 160 were Augustinian monasteries of the German provinces, which extended well beyond the current Netherlands, 69 lost to the Order, it is that their residents voluntarily joined the Lutheran or Calvinist thing was it that they were driven was. From England the Augustinian Hermits even disappeared completely, when Henry VIII all the monasteries and religious orders was resolved into its sphere of influence.

However, in the context of the Catholic reform movement after the Council of Trent ( Trent ) of the beleaguered Order flourished again; some religious houses could be recovered, strengthened the spiritual life of the Order. In addition to their traditional work field of pastoral care, the Augustinian now also catered to educational tasks. Sun, 19 high schools were founded approximately in the province of Cologne 1601-1651 of them.

Another important current within the Order at the time of the Catholic reform was the newly formed Congregation of the Italian Augustinian Discalced Augustinian or Discalceaten that radiated in the southern German, Austrian and Bohemian area. Among them is the famous popular preacher Abraham a Santa Clara.

In addition, the emerging colonial empires of Spain and Portugal opened a new field of work: The Augustinian Hermits were an important missionary orders. The Spanish Augustinian missionary work successfully in Latin America and the Philippines, where a group of Augustinians under the direction of Andrés de Urdaneta was already involved in the establishment of the first Spanish settlement in 1565. Less successful were the Augustinian missionaries in Japan and China. As part of the Portuguese expansion mission efforts have been made in India, but achieved no significant results.

Younger time

Crisis by secularization and Revolution

In the 18th century, the Order reached its greatest extent. In 1750, there were about 20 000 members, who lived in convents in 1500. There were about 200 nunneries, where the inhabitants led a contemplative life of prayer. Towards the end of the century the Augustinians but also the greatest crisis in its history had to endure. Even before the French Revolution there were numerous dissolution of the monasteries by influenced by the Enlightenment authorities. Especially here, the Roman-German Emperor Joseph II 's call to the secularization, performed in its Habsburg lands. In the course of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic led in Germany since 1802 secularization of the Order then suffered devastating losses. Most monasteries were dissolved, leaving only about 250 left in which about 1900 members lived.

Development since the 19th century

In the 19th century, the Augustinian hermits could - slowly recover from the setbacks, but without ever reaching the size of earlier centuries back - how many orders at this time. Currently, the Order includes 50 jurisdictions ( provinces, Vicariate, Delegatures, an abbey ) with 2,800 members ( 1979, the Order of 28 provinces with 483 houses). In Germany there are currently 12 convents with about 80 brothers. The historically developed areas of work ( pastoral care, education, mission) were retained.

Known Augustinian

  • Aegidius Romanus (1243-1316), religious theorists
  • Nicholas of Tolentino (1245-1305), Holy Orders
  • Henry of Friemar ( the Elder ) (c. 1245-1340 ), theologian and writer
  • Henry of Friemar ( the Younger ) (c. 1285-1354 ), theologian and writer
  • James of Viterbo (about 1255-1308 ), theologian
  • Eugene IV (1383-1447), Pope
  • John of Dorsten (1420-1481), theologian
  • Coelde Dietrich (1435-1515), writer
  • Johann von Staupitz (about 1465-1524 ), confessor and former companion of Luther
  • Gerhard Hecker (1470-1538), theologian
  • Konrad Treger (1480-1542), controversial theologian
  • Wenceslaus Linck (1483-1547), reformer
  • Martin Luther (1483-1546), reformer and translator
  • Henry of Zutphen (1488-1524), a Protestant martyr
  • Andrés de Urdaneta (1498-1568), discoverer
  • Heinrich Himmel ( early 16th century), reformer
  • Gelasius Hieber (1671-1731), preacher
  • Engelbert Mallet (1733-1811), theologian
  • Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824), mystic
  • Stefano Bellesini (1774-1840), the first beatified priest of modern times
  • Gregor Mendel (1822-1884), naturalist
  • Pius Keller (1825-1904), Judge of the New German Augustinian Province
  • Edgardo Mortara (1851-1940), abducted on behalf of the Curia Jewish boy
  • Prosper Grech ( born 1925 ), lawyer and proclaimed Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church
  • Gerhard Thomas Ring (1936-2009), Augustine Kenner
  • Adolar Zumkeller (1915-2011), one of the leading researchers of the history of the Order of Augustinian Hermits
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