Martin Bucer

Lore & Background

Martin Bucer was born in Sélestat (Schlettstadt), Alsace, a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire, on 11 November 1491. His father and grandfather, both named Claus Butzer, were coopers by trade. Bucer likely attended Sélestat's Latin school and joined the Dominican Order as a novice in 1507, later claiming his grandfather forced him into the order. In April 1518, he met Martin Luther at the Heidelberg Disputation and wrote a long letter to Beatus Rhenanus recounting what he learned, largely agreeing with Luther's Ninety-five Theses. By 1520, fellow Dominican Jacob van Hoogstraaten threatened to make an example of Bucer as a follower of Luther. With help from Wolfgang Capito, Bucer's monastic vows were annulled on 29 April 1521. He then worked as a pastor at Landstuhl under the protection of Franz von Sickingen, moving there in May 1522. In summer 1522, he married Elisabeth Silbereisen, a former nun. Bucer stopped in Wissembourg on his way to study in Wittenberg and became chaplain to reformer Heinrich Motherer. He preached daily sermons attacking traditional church practices, summarizing his convictions in six theses and calling for a public disputation. The bishop of Speyer excommunicated Bucer, and after Sickingen's defeat and death in the Knights' War, the Wissembourg council urged Bucer and Motherer to flee. On 13 May 1523, they fled to Strasbourg. Bucer was excommunicated and without means of subsistence when he arrived. He worked as Matthew Zell's unofficial chaplain and was appointed pastor of St Aurelia's Church by the Gärtner guild on 24 August 1523. A month later the council accepted his application for citizenship. In Strasbourg, Bucer joined a team of reformers including Matthew Zell, Wolfgang Capito, and Caspar Hedio. He mediated between Luther and Zwingli on the Eucharist and worked with Philipp Melanchthon on the Wittenberg Concord. Bucer believed Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire could be convinced to join the Reformation and participated in conferences organized by Charles V to unite Protestants and Catholics, though political events led to the Schmalkaldic War and the retreat of Protestantism. In 1548, under duress, Bucer signed the Augsburg Interim, which imposed certain forms of Catholic worship. He continued to promote reforms until Strasbourg accepted the Interim and forced him to leave. In 1549, Bucer was exiled to England, where under Thomas Cranmer he influenced the Edwardine Ordinals and the second revision of the Book of Common Prayer. He died in Cambridge, England, at age 59.

Reader's Guide

Martin Bucer is remembered as an early pioneer of ecumenism. He sought agreement on common articles of faith such as the Tetrapolitan Confession and the Wittenberg Concord, working closely with Philipp Melanchthon on the latter. Bucer believed that Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire could be convinced to join the Reformation and tried through a series of conferences organized by Charles V to unite Protestants and Catholics to create a German national church separate from Rome. He did not achieve this, as political events led to the Schmalkaldic War and the retreat of Protestantism within the Empire. In 1548, Bucer was persuaded, under duress, to sign the Augsburg Interim, which imposed certain forms of Catholic worship. He continued to promote reforms until the city of Strasbourg accepted the Interim and forced him to leave. In 1549, Bucer was exiled to England, where under the guidance of Thomas Cranmer he was able to influence both Edwardine Ordinals and the second revision of the Book of Common Prayer. Although his ministry did not lead to the formation of a new denomination, many Protestant denominations have claimed him as one of their own. His life illustrates the complex interplay of theology and politics during the Reformation, as well as the risks faced by reformers who navigated between competing powers.

Did You Know?

• Bucer's father and grandfather were both named Claus Butzer and worked as coopers (barrelmakers).
• Bucer met Martin Luther for the first time at the Heidelberg Disputation in April 1518.
• He married Elisabeth Silbereisen, a former nun, in summer 1522.
• Bucer was excommunicated by the bishop of Speyer after his reforms in Wissembourg.
• He died in Cambridge, England, at the age of 59.