OECOLAMPADIUS (Oekolampad, Heuszgen), Johannes. - One of the minor reformers, b. at Weinsberg (Württemberg), then in the Palatinate, in 1482, d. at Basel in Switzerland on 24 Nov. 1531. After completing his humanistic studies at Heilbronn, Bologna, Heidelberg, Tübingen and Stuttgart, and being ordained a priest, E. held the office of tutor to the children of the Elector Palatine, and with his excellent knowledge of Greek and Hebrew he collaborated with Erasmus of Rotterdam on the new Latin version of the New Testament from the Greek (1515-16). In 1521 he went over to the reformers after having at first been influenced by Luther's doctrines. Having become a pastor at Basel, he distinguished himself there by the vigor of his preaching, especially in the church of St. Martin, with great proselytism, until in 1520 he obtained, after great struggles, the triumph of the Reformation over Catholicism and favored an oligo-democratic constitution of the Church (a mixed assembly of pastors and laymen). The Waldensians (1530) and many other reformers, at Ulm, Memmingen and Biberach, relied on him. In 1528 he took a wife, and on 24 Nov. 1531, shortly after the conclusion of the Schmalkaldic League, he died at Basel. The widow soon entered into second and third marriages with Capito and Bucer.
In doctrine E. embraced the anti-papal ideas of the Reformation, the free interpretation of Holy Scripture, oscillating between Luther, of whom he later became an opponent, and Zwingli, with whom he entered into friendship and shared a great part of his ideology. E. was a sacramentarian, and in the celebrated question of the meaning of Jesus' words at the institution of the Most Holy Eucharist, he attributed to them a purely representative value. Instead of "This is my body" (Mt. 26:26; Mk. 14:22; Lk. 22:19) the words were to be understood as: "this is the image (or figure) of my body" (De genuina verborum Domini «hoc est Corpus meum... expositione, 1525). E. urged Communion under both kinds and imposed the German language in the liturgy.
In the question concerning the declaration of nullity of the marriage between Henry VIII of England and Catherine of Aragon he was against the papal sentence and in favor of the dissolution.
A combative temperament, E. fought not only against Catholics, but against Luther, Brenz, Servetus and the Anabaptists, yet keeping himself on a fairly moderate line in comparison with other reformers.
His influence was exercised especially at Basel and in southern Germany.
Bibliography6 works
Arnaldo M. Lanz