Agricola, Johann

(c. 1494–1566)

   Theologian.

   Agricola was a native of Eisleben, Germany, and was a pupil of Martin luther at the University of Wittenberg. After a brief ministry in Frankfurt and Eisleben, he returned to Wittenberg, but failed to be appointed to a chair, which was given instead to Philip melanchthon. He was labelled an antinomian by Luther since he taught that the doctrine of justification by faith implied that Christians were no longer bound by the moral law. Against this Luther taught that the moral law was necessary as a means of leading the sinner to repentance. Agricola moved to Berlin where he was appointed General Superintendent and Court Preacher by the Elector of Brandenberg. In 1544 he helped to draw up the Interim of Augsburg which was commissioned by the Emperor Charles V to provide a provisional religious settlement between the Catholic and Protestant subjects of the Empire. In addition to his revival of antinomian teaching, Agricola is also remembered as the first compiler of collections of German proverbs.

   A. McGrath, Reformation Theology: An Introduction (1988);

   LW. Spitz, The Religious Renaissance of the German Humanists (1963).