Synod of Homberg

The synod took Homberger 1526 in Homberg (Efze ) instead. It was attended by representatives of the Chaplains and the worldliness of the country county of Hesse to discuss in Homberger town church, whether Protestant faith should be introduced in the country county. Big advocate was Landgrave Philip I, who was also the initiator of the meeting. Finally, the country became Protestant county, as the majority of those present at the Synod of Philip supported projects. The elaborated as a result of the Synod new church order, however, never entered into force, as they appeared to the reformer Martin Luther as to profound.

Occasion

At the Diet of Speyer in 1526 lifted the Emperor Charles V. the Edict of Worms, he had five years earlier adopted at the Diet of Worms and the dissemination of the teachings of Martin Luther banned on. It was decided to leave the estates of the empire to the decision in the matter of belief in responsibility before God and Caesar. Therefore, Landgrave Philip I convened a synod in the city Homberger church, on which the representatives of the estates should discuss the possibility of a new Reformed church order.

Homberg was at the time point of several trade routes and offered adequate accommodation. Already in the years 1508, 1509, 1514 and 1518 took place in the town church country days. Among the invited guests included prelates, abbots, religious and secular clergy, the knights and the representatives of the cities.

Preparations

The Landgrave planned not only the Reformation further rearrangements. So he wanted to set up the new church property and reform the parish, the poor, and education. At his side stood his French consultant Francis Lambert of Avignon in this endeavor. Franz Lambert had been commissioned to draw up principles for the Homberger conversation. He called his theses paradoxes, which probably stems from the contradictions between the old and the new order. One of his most influential helper when creating the paradoxes was Adam Krafft, one of the main adviser of Philip.

On October 5, Philipp Convention persons invited the monasteries to participate on October 20 at the Synod of Homberg. The next day, followed by invitations to the Altaristen (Kaplan or vicar ) and pastors who were brought by the mayor, aldermen and bailiff. On October 10, the monasteries received another invitation that they should arrive in Homberg already on 19 October to take a position on Lambert's theses, which had not yet been made ​​known.

After the Synod Lambert published them in a book with short explanations. It was 158 theses and 47 annexes, which was divided into 23 groups. Each group carried a headline that should clarify the content summary. In addition, written in Latin script contained ( Lambert the German was not powerful ) a detailed introduction and a brief conclusion.

Topics of the Synod

In Lambert's " paradoxes ", which was contrary to the previous belief, but was justified biblically, it was mainly focused on the understanding of faith, church, rectory, communion and baptism. So put Lambert stated that Jesus Christ is the only mediator between man and God. Thus he concluded each intermediary position that would claim the church itself, from. At the same time he made it clear that even monks and celibate priests in this respect zukäme no special role and they possessed no special sanctity. The existence of monasteries and monasticism is biblically unfounded and must therefore also without any special holiness. The secularization that drew profound consequences and contributed significantly to the financing of Philip's reform of the school and hospital system, based on this finding.

The worship of images rejected Lambert. If pictures or images are still adored or worshiped, they should fall victim to the destruction, since only Christ could be worshiped. The notion of purgatory, had abzuleisten in the flames of the man his sins punishment, dislike of the Reformed idea because the people could not justify good deeds before God, but faith alone. Another important innovation that should be product of the new church order, was the holding of worship in German language, so that could be followed regardless of his level of education him everyone present.

The theses had developed within three weeks Lambert. Out of them speaks no deep scholarship, but one thing is clear: the confrontation with the Old Believers and the creation of a new order, which should be based on the Bible.

Course

The Synod began on Sunday, October 21, in the town church. In addition to the invited some curious Homberger citizens were present. The Landgrave had all those present pledged safe passage. The opening speech on behalf of the Landgrave of Chancellor Johann fig. The basis of the incipient discussion Lamberts served paradoxes. The theses were first presented by Lambert himself in Latin and then in German by Adam Krafft. In the following discussion all Latin Lore, however, should contact Lambert, all others at Krafft. After leaving, explained and justified Lambert from the Bible 's principles to the Reformation, which took several hours. In the afternoon, followed Krafft's translation of the whole. He then demanded to counter opinions on, but only the Franciscan Guardian of Marburg, Nicholas Ferber, spoke up and asked for a meeting with the Landgrave for the next day.

The Synod was posted on Monday, October 22, continued by Lambert again read his 23 sentences and then those who wanted to contradict him, calling on her to speak. As expected, rose Nicholas Ferber. He explained that it was not the right place for talks and he would anyway apply only to the Landgrave. This was followed by a two -hour speech by the Franciscan, in which he declared that the calling of a synod and the instigation of a church order only the Church, the Pope and the bishops were empowered. He also exhorted the Landgrave, as Emperor, Pope, and some universities have condemned the Lutheran doctrine as heretical.

Chancellor fig contradicted the by awarding even the secular authority the right to the orientation of synods. He attributed this to abuses and idolatry within the church and brought as examples before unspiritual pride, honor and greed and proclamation of a corrupted and un-Christian faith. Then he told Ferber to join Lamberts theses. Ferber refused and appealed further to Christ and Paul, according to which heretics and laymen are not entitled to hold such a debate. He also tried to bring all the clergy present at his side, by accusing Philip to stir discord and contrary to the donor's will use spiritual goods want to.

Landgrave Philip seized then the only time during the entire synod itself the word Ferber rejected allegations and warned him, in a disputation in which the faith is the foundation, to be used exclusively with the Bible compatible arguments. But even then Ferber was not prepared to encounter. It was not until the afternoon Lambert triumphantly stated that no one who belonged to the Franciscan order, the struggle dare he lured Ferber from the reserve. This read his 100 sets ( Assertiones ), but the chances were very well received, as they did not provide the required conclusive evidence and contained numerous anti- Lambert insults. At the end of the day Ferber called again for resistance to Lamberts theses and against him, and he feared for his life and promised safe conduct by Landgraf took to complete.

The last day of the Synod was Tuesday, October 23, to which there are only very inadequate records. However, settled on that day, with Master John Sperber, a priest from Waldau, another clergyman to a disputation with Lambert. However, Lambert said to have refuted him so superior that, according to the extant sources everyone present felt sorry for the pastor. Then some of the most prominent clergymen were selected to develop a reformation of procedure for the country county of Hesse.

Results

The immediate result of the Homberg Synod was convening a commission to draw up a church order for the rural county of Hesse. However, Philip was aimed at far more: he wanted to lead with the Homberg Synod representatives of the clergy and of the estates in mind how necessary it was his opinion, to introduce the Reformation in his dominions. In addition, the Synod of Homberg represented one of the first on the Reformation ground altogether, and thus it was regarded as a model for subsequent.

Underpass Lamberts the selected Commission worked the " Reformatio ecclesiarum Hassiae " within two months from December 1526. This new church order contained 34 chapters with 195 sets. She saw the sermon as the basis of the spread of the Protestant faith. On any given Sunday, a meeting of all pastors should be convened to these had to decide whether they would join the Reformation thinking or not. Who agreed, should be recorded in a register, who refused to be called a heathen. Municipalities should select a pastor to their leader, the one henceforth called bishop and should whose duties include the exercise of church discipline. More decisions should be taken on an annual synod in Marburg, where all bishops participated with selected Sydonalen and their feudal lords. In addition, should at any of these three synods visitators be chosen who visit each community and should consider the work of the bishop. Other suggestions were the dissolution of the monasteries, the foundation of hospitals, the opening of public schools, universities and Stipediatenanstalten.

Implementation

There were not only positive voices to the synod and the new church order. For example, Luther rejected the new church order. He described them as a " bunch of laws with such powerful words ," as they liked neither in size nor in radicalism him. In a letter to the Landgrave, he wrote that he did not accept the church constitution in this form. He closed the letter with the following words:

He made ​​it clear that he favored a gradual introduction of church order. Philip followed Luther's advice and did not result in a the " Reformatio ", but first realized only some of their projects. This also had political reasons because he did not want his closest ally, the Elector of Saxony, forfeit, where Luther's word was considered authoritative.

In addition, Philip was accused of wanting to just accept the Protestant faith in order to enrich themselves, since it would be so exempt from tax, which he had applied for the Pope.

As advised by Luther, put Landgrave Philip of only some claims, such as the secularization of monasteries. He invested the assets obtained thereby partially in the founding of the University of Marburg, the first Reformation inspired university, and partly in the foundation of hospitals.

Other aims of the 1526 elaborated church order were achieved in the following years, especially after the conclusion of the Treaty of Hitzkirchen on 14 June 1528 in which the Archbishop of Mainz, Albrecht of Brandenburg finally renounced the spiritual jurisdiction in Hesse and Philipp thus releasing the way an independent national church introduce in Hesse. Thus, the Office of the Superintendent was in 1531 with the sacristan order introduced. 1532 was followed by the service order and the Hessian church order, but this was never implemented.

Importance

About the Homberger Synod of 1526 and its significance opinions vary widely. The author of the " paradoxes ", Francis Lambert of Avignon, the Synod appeared as "holy Synod to be venerable and Christian and worth everywhere imitated. " The toughest opponent on the spot, Nicholas Ferber, however, spoke of a " tragedian " and found so unlike the Jesuits Schmitt nor benevolent words which she described briefly as "After the Synod ."

However, was the church order, the full responsibility on worship, preaching and teaching about wearing the communities in feudal Germany as particularly progressive. For the first time an attempt was made to have an entire country to participate in a fundamental decision of faith. This democratic train of the Synod won in similar meetings in later years even beyond Germany's borders in importance. The Homberger Synod enjoys in this context a role model status. The Broad " Reformatio " came later, especially in strictly Reformed churches of France, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Scotland to carry, thereby Homberger Synod not only won on total German, but also in European importance.

The Homberger Synod drew a new kind of church accounting by itself. So were all church -related events, such as baptisms ( baptizati ), funerals ( defuncti ), marriages ( copulati ) and noted the names of the Konfirmierten all Protestant parishioners. Belonging to different stands was not relevant to the completeness of the data so that both the data and the nobles were read by shepherds in it. This led to a democratization process within the church and still is of cultural importance. Although since the introduction of the registry offices responsible for collecting all of the personal data to the state, the church records must be maintained in each church community even today.

In addition, the introduction of the Reformation made ​​in the county of Hesse country for a reform of the school system. This reform began with Martin Luther, who spoke in terms of the medieval school of " donkey stables and schools Devil ". For him, the language trinity of logic, rhetoric and poetics, as well as mathematics, history, native-language religious education Catechism and Bible, music, and physical exercises especially important subjects that should be brought close to each boys were. The efforts to make the teaching profession more attractive and to be of teacher education reform, led from 1600 reinforced the emergence of village schools, which is certainly respectable achievement of the Reformation.

Today

Today, two things to remember in or on the Homberger church at the historic event: on the one hand the magnificent Reformation window in the choir, representing the Reformers Luther and Zwingli, and Landgrave Philip, on the other hand a plaque, in addition to the order in 1374 by Tyle of Frankenberg created jewelry portal is mounted on the outside wall of the church.

On the Homberger square is a monument that represents the Landgrave Philip in a sitting pose. It was created by Ewald Hull on behalf of the town of Homberg and unveiled on 21 October 2001 on the occasion of the 475- year celebration of the Synod Homberger.

In Kassel remember two reliefs of the Lost Landgraf -Philipp memorial to the events of the Reformation. They are located today on the outside wall of the church of St. Martin.