Martin Cellarius
Encyclopedia
Martin Borrhaus (1499–11 October 1564) was a German Protestant theologian and reformer.
and raised as an adopted child of a Simon Keller.. He enrolled at the University of Tübingen, where in 1515 he graduated and came to know Philipp Melanchthon
. In 1520, he moved to the University of Ingolstadt
, where he took up the study of Greek and Hebrew, and theology under Johann Eck
. Following a dispute with Eck, he left for Wittenberg
, where he taught mathematics at the private school of Melanchthon. However his ideas became more radical, and he was expelled for heterodoxy in April 1522. Borrhaus travelled in the company of Felix Manz
through Switzerland, Austria, Poland and Prussia. In 1526 he moved to Strasbourg
, where he married Odilia of Utenheim. Under the influence of Wolfgang Capito, Borrhaus published his first work, "De operibus Dei" 1527. In 1536 his wife died and Borrhaus went to Basel
, where he earned a living as a glass blower and married again. In 1541 his friend Simon Grynaeus
arranged for Borrhaus a position teaching philosophy at the University of Basel
, and then in 1544 he became professor of Old Testament
and 1546, 1553 and 1564 served as rector. He died in Basel.
Borrhaus associated with the advocates of tolerance Sebastian Castellio
, Celio Secondo Curione
and Michael Servetus
. At this point he openly rejected infant baptism. His views on the Trinity were less open in his later years, not surprisingly, given the death of Servetus in 1553.
Life
Borrhaus was born in StuttgartStuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
and raised as an adopted child of a Simon Keller.. He enrolled at the University of Tübingen, where in 1515 he graduated and came to know Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon , born Philipp Schwartzerdt, was a German reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lutheran Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems...
. In 1520, he moved to the University of Ingolstadt
University of Ingolstadt
The University of Ingolstadt was founded in 1472 by Louis the Rich, the Duke of Bavaria at the time, and its first Chancellor was the Bishop of Eichstätt. It consisted of five faculties: humanities, sciences, theology, law and medicine, all of which were contained in the Hoheschule...
, where he took up the study of Greek and Hebrew, and theology under Johann Eck
Johann Eck
Dr. Johann Maier von Eck was a German Scholastic theologian and defender of Catholicism during the Protestant Reformation. It was Eck who argued that the beliefs of Martin Luther and Jan Hus were similar.-Life:...
. Following a dispute with Eck, he left for Wittenberg
Wittenberg
Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a city in Germany in the Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt, on the river Elbe. It has a population of about 50,000....
, where he taught mathematics at the private school of Melanchthon. However his ideas became more radical, and he was expelled for heterodoxy in April 1522. Borrhaus travelled in the company of Felix Manz
Felix Manz
Felix Manz was a co-founder of the original Swiss Brethren Anabaptist congregation in Zürich, Switzerland, and the first martyr of the Radical Reformation.-Birth and life:...
through Switzerland, Austria, Poland and Prussia. In 1526 he moved to Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, where he married Odilia of Utenheim. Under the influence of Wolfgang Capito, Borrhaus published his first work, "De operibus Dei" 1527. In 1536 his wife died and Borrhaus went to Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, where he earned a living as a glass blower and married again. In 1541 his friend Simon Grynaeus
Simon Grynaeus
Simon Grynaeus , German scholar and theologian of the Reformation, son of Jacob Gryner, a Swabian peasant, was born at Veringendorf, in Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen.He adopted the name Grynaeus from the epithet of Apollo in Virgil...
arranged for Borrhaus a position teaching philosophy at the University of Basel
University of Basel
The University of Basel is located in Basel, Switzerland, and is considered to be one of leading universities in the country...
, and then in 1544 he became professor of Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
and 1546, 1553 and 1564 served as rector. He died in Basel.
Borrhaus associated with the advocates of tolerance Sebastian Castellio
Sebastian Castellio
Sebastian Castellio was a French preacher and theologian; and one of the first Reformed Christian proponents of religious toleration, freedom of conscience and thought....
, Celio Secondo Curione
Celio Secondo Curione
Celio Secondo Curione was an Italian humanist, grammarian and suspected antitrinitarian.thumb|160px|Celio Secondo Curione-Works :* Pasquillus ecstaticus et Marphorius. Basel, 1544....
and Michael Servetus
Michael Servetus
Michael Servetus was a Spanish theologian, physician, cartographer, and humanist. He was the first European to correctly describe the function of pulmonary circulation...
. At this point he openly rejected infant baptism. His views on the Trinity were less open in his later years, not surprisingly, given the death of Servetus in 1553.
Works
- 1527 "De operibus Dei" - the first open questioning of the doctrine of the Trinity in print anywhere in Europe, and the first openly millenarian work in Martin LutherMartin LutherMartin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
's circle. The combination of ArianismArianismArianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
and MillenarianismMillenarianismMillenarianism is the belief by a religious, social, or political group or movement in a coming major transformation of society, after which all things will be changed, based on a one-thousand-year cycle. The term is more generically used to refer to any belief centered around 1000 year intervals...
led Giorgio BiandrataGiorgio BiandrataGiorgio Biandrata or Blandrata , was an Italian physician and polemicist, who came of the De Biandrate family, powerful from the early part of the 13th century, was born at Saluzzo, the youngest son of Bernardino Biandrata.He graduated in arts and medicine at Montpellier in 1533, and specialized in...
and Francis David in TransylvaniaTransylvaniaTransylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
to regard Borrhaus as the first precursor of UnitarianUnitarianismUnitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
belief, and David published key extracts of De operibus Dei with his own writings.