Jakob Wimpfeling
Jakob Wimpfeling was a German theologian born on July 25, 1450, in Schlettstadt, Alsace (now Sélestat, France). His academic journey began at the local school and continued at the University of Freiburg, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1466. He later studied canon law and theology in Heidelberg and became known for his preaching at the Speyer cathedral by 1483. Wimpfeling returned to Heidelberg in 1489 at the request of the elector Palatine, teaching rhetoric and poetry. His later years were marked by involvement in the conflicts within the Roman Catholic Church, particularly during the Reformation, where he sought to mediate between differing factions.
Despite his initial support of reformative ideas, he ultimately submitted to the Church's authority and retired from these disputes in 1524. Wimpfeling's literary contributions include significant works such as "Elegantiarum medulla" and "Adolescentia," where he advocated for educational reform and emphasized the importance of moral training for youth. He is remembered as a representative of moderate humanism during a tumultuous period in Church history, despite facing criticism from more radical reformers. Wimpfeling passed away in Schlettstadt in 1528, reflecting the complexities of his beliefs and the challenges he encountered throughout his life.
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Jakob Wimpfeling
Writer
- Born: July 25, 1450
- Birthplace: Schlettstadt, Alsace, Germany (now Sélestat, France)
- Died: November 15, 1528
- Place of death: Schlettstadt, Alsace, Germany (now Sélestat, France)
Biography
Theologian Jakob Wimpfeling was born in Schlettstadt, Alsace, Germany (now Sélestat, France), on July 25, 1450. He attended the local school in Schlettstadt, and then was a student at the University of Freiburg, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1466. After graduation, he went to Heidelberg, where he studied canon law for three years and then studied theology.
By 1483, he was preaching at the cathedral in Speyer. He returned to Heidelberg in 1489 at the request of Philip, elector Palatine, and taught rhetoric and poetry at the university. Between 1505 and 1508, he resided in Strasbourg, and by 1512, he was in charge of the monastery at Sulzbacj. He returned to Schlettstadt in 1513, where he lived surrounded by students and admirers in a kind of literary society.
Wimpfeling became involved in the conflict surrounding the Roman Catholic Church. After Martin Luther was excommunicated, Wimpfeling participated in the attempt to persuade Church officials to withdraw the ban. As a result of his involvement, he was suspected of having composed a satirical writing which berated the Church curia for its decision to uphold the excommunication. Although this lampoon on the Church was probably composed by Hermann von dem Busche, Wimpfeling was blamed for the incident. In 1521, he submitted to the Church’s wishes and was thereafter a loyal member of the Church. Three years later, he retired from the struggle between Church factions, but was ridiculed by the more fanatical supporters of Luther as both a renegade and a persecutor of the so-called heretics. The controversy within the Church resulted in the destruction of Wimpfeling’s literary circle, and he died an embittered man in Schlettstadt in 1528.
Wimpfeling began his literary career by writing publications in which he urged the Church to hold more frequent ecclesiastical councils, venerated the Blessed Virgin, and called for improved discipline among the ranks of the clergy. His first major work was the Elegantiarum medulla . . . (1493), an extraction of the works of Italian philosopher Lorenzo Valla which extolled the beauty and elegance of the Latin language. In Isidoneus germanicus . . ., published in 1497, Wimpfeling described his teaching methods, and he opposed the Scholasticism movement which attempted to combine ancient classical philosophy with medieval Christian theology. He believed that the teaching of grammar should lead to the reading of Christian and heathen writers, as long as their writing was not immoral. He also emphasized the importance of learning the practical sciences.
Wimpfeling’s most famous work, Adolescentia (1500), was intended as an accompaniment to his previous book. This book focused on his ethical views on teaching. He believed that the troubles plaguing the Church at the time were the result of improper training of young people and that the young must be taught exemplary morals. Wimpfeling then went on to detail twenty laws by which young men should conduct their lives. Although Wimpfeling did not achieve his goals, he is remembered as one of the best representatives of moderate humanism during a time of great upheaval in the Church.