BUGENHAGEN, Johann. — Also called POMERANUS from his homeland, he was one of the most influential figures of the Protestant Reformation in Germany. Born in Wollin (Pomerania) in 1485, he died in Wittenberg in 1558. He studied grammar, music, dialectics, and elements of physics at the academy of Greifswald. In 1504, he was elected rector of the school in Treptow, where he promoted studies and discipline.
Reading the works of Erasmus and the humanists convinced him of the necessity of a religious reform, and he began to express his first heterodox ideas. When he came across Luther’s work *De Captivitate Babylonica*, at first he considered it one of the most dangerous books; but upon 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 in Wittenberg, a position he held until his death. This did not prevent him from developing his organizational activities in various parts both within and outside Germany. In the same year, 1522, he organized the Lutheran church in Hamburg in doctrine, worship, and proposed norms for the vocations of ministers. In 1530 he did the same for the church in Lübeck. In 1530 he was also awarded the title of Doctor of Theology, in the presence of the Elector of Saxony, Giovanni Federico, before whom he argued that the state could promulgate laws even for the Church, binding in conscience, provided they were not contrary to the Decalogue; a doctrine that greatly pleased the Elector.
In 1537, called by the King of Denmark, who at that time was also King of Norway, Cristiano III (1533–59), he not only deeply impressed the doctrines of Luther upon them but also organized the Lutheran liturgy, a new school program, printed a book of prayers, and, instead of the seven Catholic bishops suppressed, substituted seven Lutheran superintendents, ordaining 24,000 Lutheran ministers for the two kingdoms. The University of Copenhagen owes him a renewal of its life. In 1542 he was one of the visitors of the churches of Brunswick. Among his writings, besides the history of Pomerania, are noteworthy his commentaries on the Psalms, highly esteemed even by Luther himself, and those on ten Epistles of St. Paul.