Julius Pflug (Studies in Medieval and Reformation Thought)
Editorial Reviews
Book Description
This book retraces the life and work of Julius Pflug (1499-1564), humanist, man of the church and diplomat. Born from a family of Saxon knights, Julius Pflug was educated mostly in Italy under such masters as Amaseo and Bonamico - hence his excellent Latin style, which even Erasmus admired. During his ecclesiastical career he was provost of Zeitz, dean of Meissen and bishop of Naumburg-Zeitz. As such he attended the Council of Trient in its second period (1551/52). Pflug has attracted the attention of historians mostly on account of his role in the so-called Colloquies of religion designed to put an end to the religious schisms which divided the Church as well as the Empire: Regensburg (1541 and 1546), Worms (1557), over which he presided. After the Peace of Augsburg (1555), he was only able to save the remnants of Catholicism in his own diocese. The interest of this biography is twofold: firstly, it allows us to survey the progress of the Lutheran Reformation, which Catholic apologists such as Pflug, Gropper, Witzel were unable to stop. Secondly, as Pflug was entangled in all the political and religious events of his time, this book reveals a wide range of personalities in Saxony and Germany, and imperial circles at large. On the other hand, if Pflug's work belongs to a period of transition, it retains through its irenic character an interest of topicality, while opinion is more sensitive to conciliation than to opposition of confessional differences. Following the analysis of the sources due to the publication of Pflug's Correspondence by the same author (published by Brill 1969-1982), this monograph gives a more synthetic view, which addresses itself to a larger public. Ce livre est une biographie de Julius Pflug (1499-1564), humaniste, homme d'Eglise et diplomat. D'une famille de chevalier saxons, Julius recut une formation humaniste aupres des maitres italiens; son latin est d'une purete classique qu'admirait meme Erasme. Il eut un carriere ecclesiastique: prevot de Zeitz, doyen de Meissen, enfin eveque de Naumburg-Zietz. A ce titre, il assista au Concile de Trente dans sa 2eme periode. L'histoire a retenu surtout son role dans les Colloques de religion, ou il seconda la politique imperiale de rapprochement entre Catholiques et Lutheriens: Ratisbonne (1541 et 1546), Worms (1557). Depuis la Paix d'Augsbourg (1555), il ne put que tenter de sauver les restes cu catholicisme dans son diocese. L'interet de cette biographie est double: c'est d'abord de nous faire assister au progres de la Reforme lutherienne que les apologistes catholiques, tels que Pflug, Gropper, Witzel, ne parvinrent pas a endiguer; ensuite, comme Pflug a ete mele a tous les evenements politiques et religieux de son temps, nous sommes mis par ce biais en relation avec les personnalites marquantes, tant en Saxe qu'en Allemagne et dans les cercles imperiaux. Par ailleurs, si l'oeuvre de Pflug appartient a une periode de transition, elle regagne par son irenisme un interet d'actualite, alors que l'opinion est plus sensible a la conciliation au'a l'opposition des differences confessionelles. C'est pourquoi a l'analyse des sources fournies par la publication de la Correspondance de Julius Pflug (6 vol.) devait succeder la synthese sous forme d'etude a la fois biographique et theologique. Celle-ci s'adresse a un public elargi, aussi bien specialistes de la Reforme que lettres et etudiants interesses par l'histoire allemande a l'oree de l'age moderne.
Language Notes
Text: French
Julius Pflug (Studies in Medieval and Reformation Traditions),J. V. Pollet,Brill Academic Publishers,9004092412,Architecture,General,History,History: World,Interior Design - General,Reformation (1517-1648),Roman Catholic Church,Biography: general,Christian theology,Germany,Pflug, Julius von,c 1500 to c 1600
Book Contents:
Recommended Books