BUGENHAGEN, JOHANN. – Also called Pomerania after his homeland, he was one of the most influential figures of the Protestant Reformation in Germany. B. at Wollin (Pomerania) in 1485, and d. at Wittenberg in 1558. He studied grammar, music, dialectic, and elements of physics at the academy of Greifswald. In 1504, elected rector of the school at Treptov, he promoted its studies and discipline.
Reading the works of Erasmus and the humanists, he became convinced of the need for a religious reform and manifested his first heterodox ideas. When Luther’s work De Captivitate Babiloniae fell into his hands, at first reading he considered it one of the most dangerous books; but, rereading it, he embraced its doctrines and began to propagate them. Luther held him in such high esteem that in 1522 he proposed him as minister of the Collegiate Church of Wittenberg, an office he retained until his death. This did not prevent him from developing his organizational activities in various parts within and outside Germany. In that same year, 1522, he organized the Lutheran Church of Hamburg in its doctrine and worship, and proposed regulations for the vocations of ministers. In 1530 he did the same for the Church of Lübeck. In 1530 he was also awarded the degree of doctor of theology, in the presence of the Elector of Saxony, Giovanni Federico, before whom he argued that the State could promulgate laws, including ecclesiastical ones, binding in conscience, provided that they were not contrary to the Decalogue; a doctrine that greatly pleased the elector. In 1537, summoned by the king of Denmark, who at that time was also king of Norway, Cristiano III (1533–59), he not only left Luther’s doctrines deeply impressed there, but organized the Lutheran liturgy and a new school curriculum, printed a prayer book, and, in place of the 7 suppressed Catholic bishops, substituted 7 Lutheran superintendents, ordaining 24,000 Lutheran ministers for the two kingdoms. The University of Copenhagen owes its renewed life to him. In 1542 he was one of the visitors of the churches of Brunswick. Among his writings, besides the history of Pomerania, particular mention should be made of the commentaries on the Psalms, highly esteemed by Luther himself, and those on 10 Epistles of St. Paul.