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[German Version] 1. Polycarp, the Elder (Mar 18, 1552, Winnenden, Württemberg – Feb 22, 1610, Dresden), student of J. Andreae and J. Heerbrand (master's degree 1570). In 1573 he was appointed pastor in Gellersdorf, Austria. After receiving his doctorate from Tübingen in 1576, he was appointed general superintendent in Wittenberg, where he also served as professor of theology and a member of the consistory. The framing, defense, and introduction of the Wittenberg Concord (see Book of Concord ) were the centerpiece of his work there. In 1587 he was ap…

[German Version] (the Elder; Feb 26, 1592, Altdorf – Nov 2, 1646, Nuremberg), important Lutheran preacher and church reformer in Nuremberg. Saubert, who was influenced by J. Gerhard, was appointed preacher at St. Sebald and antistes in Nuremberg, where he supported the city’s schools and library. He fought to secure confessional Lutheranism in Nuremberg. In his sermons and works of edification, he employed allegory and emblematics to encourage piety. He kept up correspondence with an extensive cir…

[German Version] (Freiherr v.; Jun 10, 1859, Memmingen – Feb 10, 1948, Munich), jurisprudent in important German and ecumenical church offices 1919–1933. Alongside his position with the Bayerische Handelsbank, his church work made him one of “the most important laymen in the Evangelical Church” (K. Scholder, Die Kirchen und das Dritte Reich, vol. I, 1986, 24; ET: The Churches and the Third Reich, 1988). Politically conservative, after 1918 Pechmann played a leading role in redrafting the church constitution and in integrating the German regional churches a…

[German Version] (Jul 6, 1601, Esbeck – Sept 18, 1673, Hannover). Gesenius, the son of a Lutheran pastor, went to study at Helmstedt in 1618, where his mentors included G. Calixtus. In 1628 he received his M.A. from Jena, where he came under the influence of J. Gerhard. From 1629 to 1636, he served as pastor of St. Magnus in Braunschweig. Under Duke George of Braunschweig-Lüneburg, he served initially in Hildesheim; in 1642 he went to Hannover as a member of the consistory, first court chaplain, and Generalsuperintendent. In 1643 he received his doctorate in theology in Helmstedt …

[German Version] (Dec 5, 1602, Markneukirchen – Jul 6, 1664, Dresden), orthodox Lutheran theologian. He was appointed professor of Near Eastern languages at Wittenberg (Wittenberg, University of) in 1636 and became superintendent in Brunswick in 1641. From 1646 to 1664 he served as senior court chaplain in Dresden, succeeding M. Höe v. Höenegg, in the time of the electors John George I and II. Together with A. Calovius and J. Hülsemann, he was a major opponent of G. Calixtus in the Syncretistic Co…

[German Version] (Jul 23, 1607, Lüneburg – Oct 29, 1675, Altona). The son of a clothier, Hoburg first worked as a cantor and teacher in Lauenburg and Uelzen. After his dismissal (c. 1640), he found employment as a tutor ¶ in Hamburg and a proofreader in Lüneburg. When he was dismissed again in 1644, Duke August of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel arranged for him to take up a pastorate.Unappreciated, Hoburg went to Holland in 1648. In 1652, he became the chaplain for a Calvinist noble and, from 1655, the Reformed preacher in Lathem near Arnh…

[German Version] (Dec 5/6, 1530, Hersbruck – May 24, 1592, Leipzig), Lutheran theologian holding many offices and an outstanding figure in theology and church administration during his lifetime. After study-¶ ing in Wittenberg, Selnecker served as court chaplain in Dresden from 1558 to 1565. Dismissed from office because of his criticism of the authorities, he was appointed professor in Jena in 1565 and in Leipzig in 1568. After 1570 he served as general superintendent in Wolfenbüttel and Oldenburg. In 1573/1574 he returned …

[English Version] Pechmann, Wilhelm Frhr. v. (10.6.1859 Memmingen – 10.2.1948 München), Jurist in leitenden dt. und ökum. Kirchenämtern 1919–1933. Neben seine Tätigkeit in der Bayerischen Handelsbank tritt sein kirchl. Wirken als einer »der bedeutendsten Laien in der ev. Kirche« (K. Scholder, Die Kirchen und das Dritte Reich, Bd.1, 1986, 24). Polit. konservativ, hat P. nach 1918 an der Neugestaltung der kirchl. Verfassung und am Zusammenschluß der dt. Landeskirchen und ihrer ökum. Kontakte führend m…

[English Version] Weller, Jakob (5.12.1602 Markneukirchen – 6.7.1664 Dresden), luth.-orth. Theologe. Prof. für orientalische Sprachen in Wittenberg 1636, 1641 Superintendent in Braunschweig. Von 1646–1664 Oberhofprediger in Dresden in der Nachfolge von M. Höe von Höenegg z.Z. der Kurfürsten Johann Georg I. und II. Zusammen mit A. Calov und J. Hülsemann Hauptgegner G. Calixts im Synkretistischen Streit. Gegenüber J. Böhme verhielt sich W. wohlwollend im Dresdner Gespräch 1624, worauf sich Ph.J. Spen…

[English Version] Saubert, Johann (d. Ä.; 26.2.1592 Altdorf – 2.11.1646 Nürnberg), bedeutender luth. Prediger und Kirchenreformer in Nürnberg. Der von J. Gerhard beeinflußte S. war ab 1637 Prediger an St. Sebald und Antistes in Nürnberg. S. förderte das städtische Schulwesen und die Bibliothek. Er kämpfte für die Sicherung des luth. Bekenntnisstandes in Nürnberg. In seinen Predigten und Erbauungsschriften setzte er Allegorie und Emblematik zur Förderung der Frömmigkeit ein. S. stand mit einem große…

[English Version] Selnecker, Nikolaus (5./6.12.1530 Hersbruck – 24.5.1592 Leipzig), in Theol. und Kirchenleitung der Zeit herausragender und in vielen Ämtern tätiger luth. Theologe. Nach Studien in Wittenberg war S. von 1558–1565 Hofprediger in Dresden. Aus dem Amt infolge seiner Obrigkeitskritik entlassen, wurde er 1565 Prof. in Jena, 1568 in Leipzig, ab 1570 Generalsuperintendent in Wolfenbüttel und Oldenburg. 1573/74 Rückkehr nach Leipzig als Prof. und ab 1576 Superintendent und Pfarrer an St. T…