KÖPFEL, WOLFANG. - Protestant theologian and reformer, b. at Hagenaun in Alsatia in 1478, d. at Strasbourg on 4 Nov. 1541. He studied at the universities of Ingolstadt (1595) and Freiburg in Breisgau, where he obtained the licentiate in theology in 1511 and the doctorate in canon law after 1520. From 1512 he exercised the office of preacher at Bruchsal (diocese of Speyer) and then at Basel, where he was also professor of theology and where he became acquainted with Erasmus and Zwingli, propagating the early writings of Luther.
His inner evolution toward the new doctrines was well underway when in 1520 he entered the service of the Prince-Elector Archbishop of Mainz, Albert of Brandenburg, as court preacher and chancellor. Thus he influenced the attitude of the cardinal, who was still undecided regarding the reformers, and then, clarifying his own position in 1523, he withdrew from the court, taking possession of the provostship of St. Thomas in Strasbourg, which he had obtained from Leo X in 1521. This became the center of his reforming activity in the city and region. Subsequently, alongside Bucer, he played an important part in the introduction of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland (the Bern Disputation of 1528, the Bern Synods of 1532 and 1537), in the negotiations between the Swiss reformers and the theologians of Wittenberg, and took part with the Protestant leaders in various diets of the Empire, especially that of Augsburg in 1530 (K. is one of the authors of the Confessio tetrapolitana) and that of Regensburg in 1541. Intolerant toward Catholics, he showed himself very tolerant and conciliatory toward the various Protestant currents, accommodating his flexible character to the most varied negotiations. His work was more in reforming and diplomatic action than in writings, which are distinguished as Latin works, German pamphlets, and letters.