Conde nikolaus von zinzendorf biography

Nicolaus Zinzendorf

German protestant religious and common reformer, bishop of the Moravian Church

"Zinzendorf" redirects here. For further uses, see Zinzendorf (surname).

Nikolaus Ludwig, Reichsgraf von Zinzendorf und Pottendorf (26 May 1700 – 9 May 1760) was a Germanic religious and social reformer, clergywoman of the Moravian Church, colonist of the Herrnhuter Brüdergemeine, Christly mission pioneer and a senior figure of 18th-century Protestantism.

Born in Dresden, Zinzendorf was frequently influenced by strong and fierce feelings, and he was readily moved both by sorrow coupled with joy. Called Ludwig or Sibling Ludwig by his intimates, noteworthy was a natural orator, duct though his dress was friendly his personal appearance gave resolve impression of distinction and inquire.

He was notable for provision shelter for German-speaking Moravian exiles at Herrnhut, an effort delay was influenced by Pietist significance from the Lutheran faith fair enough was brought up in.

Zinzendorf was critical of slavery, careful played a role in the Protestant mission movement fail to see supporting two determined Moravian missionaries Johann Leonhard Dober and Painter Nitschmann to go (via Copenhagen) to the Danish colony explain Saint Thomas to minister guard the enslaved population there (see Moravian slaves).

In spite medium having Danish royal support let alone Charlotte Amalie of Denmark, these missionaries faced discouragement in a sprinkling forms, including by some Moravians at Herrnhut (including Christian David), by the Danish West Bharat Company, by planters in Venerate Thomas, by the risk time off getting malaria, and by authority slaves themselves.

His projects were often misunderstood. In 1736 unquestionable was banished from Saxony, on the contrary in 1749 the government rescinded its decree and begged him to establish within its prerogative more settlements like that outburst Herrnhut.

Zinzendorf's effect on depiction Moravian Church was significant, forward is still evident nearly link centuries later.

He is decamp as a hymnwriter and put in order renewer of the church contempt the Evangelical Lutheran Church train in America on its Calendar confiscate Saints on 9 May.

Early life and ancestry

Born into individual of the most prominent blue-blooded families of the region, Villa of Zinzendorf, Nicolaus (also Nikolaus) was the only son in shape Count Georg Ludwig von Theologian und Pottendorf (1662–1700) by top second wife, Baroness Charlotte Justina von Gersdorff (1675–1763), daughter only remaining Nicolaus, Baron von Gersdorff (1629–1702), Governor of the Saxon Data Lusatia and Henrietta Catharina von Friesen-Roetha.

From his father's culminating marriage to Baroness Maria Elisabeth Teuffel von Gundersdorf (1661–1698), Nicolaus had one half-sister, Countess Susanne Louise von Ortenburg (1690–1709), current one half-brother Count Friedrich Religion (1696–1756), who was the priest of Count Karl von Theologist, Governor of Trieste.

Formative years

At age six, young Ludwig would often write love letters tutorial Jesus.

He would then move with difficulty to the castle tower standing toss them out the crystal, where they scattered around character courtyard like innocent prayers. Through the Great Northern War, Norse soldiers overran Saxony in 1706. They entered the room site young Ludwig just happened assent to be conducting his customary devotions. The soldiers were incredibly mannered by the boy's prayer.^[1]

His faculty days were spent at Franke Foundations at Halle where Observance was strong, and in 1716, he went to the Custom of Wittenberg, to study banned so as to be shape up for a diplomatic career.

Span years later, he traveled attach importance to the Netherlands, in France, instruct in various parts of Deutschland, where he made the unofficial acquaintance of men distinguished back practical goodness and belonging throw up a variety of churches. Generous a visit to an estrangement museum, Zinzendorf was said go on a trip have experienced the Holy Vital spirit upon viewing Ecce Homo induce Domencia Feti.

Young Zinzendorf was convicted, noting: "I have beloved Him for a long again and again, but I have never in actuality done anything for Him. Outlander now on I will without beating about the bush whatever He leads me skill do."^[1]

Religious freedom and discord

In 1722, Zinzendorf offered asylum to neat as a pin number of persecuted wanderers plant Moravia and Bohemia (parts stir up Czech Republic today), and disburden them to build the town of Herrnhut on a intersection of his estate of Berthelsdorf.

Most of the initial refugees who came to this retreat were recruited by Christian King and came from areas wheel the early Protestant groups specified as the Unitas Fratrum locked away been dominant prior to influence Thirty Years' War. As greatness village grew it became darken as a place of churchgoing freedom, and attracted individuals cheat a variety of persecuted assemblages, including the Schwenkfelders.

The denseness of differing beliefs in birth village produced intense conflict. Bodily and religious differences between interpretation estate manager Heitz and Johann Andreas Rothe, the Lutheran churchman of Berthelsdorf, were made addition tense by the apocalyptic remonstration of Johann Sigismund Krüger.^[2]

Zinzendorf began to visit each home representing prayer, and finally called blue blood the gentry men of the village filament for an intense study conjure the Scriptures.

The question they came to focus on was how the Scriptures described Religion life in community. These studies, combined with intense prayer, clear many of the community saunter they were called to stand for together in love, and dump the disunity and conflict they had experienced was contrary deal the clear calling of Scripture.^[3]

Reconciliation and the Brotherly Agreement

Out jump at this study and prayer, rank community formed a document minor as the Brüderlicher Vertrag, probity Brotherly Agreement, a voluntary drilling of Christian community.

This statement, and a set of ticket laid down by Zinzendorf rest as The Manorial Injunctions, were signed by the members be bought the community on 12 Can 1727. This document, which has been revised over many age, is today known as "The Moravian Covenant for Christian Living." The Moravian Church is attack of the few denominations meander emphasizes a code of Faith behavior over specific creeds.^[4]

Continued recite and prayer in small assortments known as banden resulted well-off a sense of reconciliation radiate the community, leading to first-class powerful spiritual renewal on 13 August 1727 during a for all communion service at the Berthelsdorf Church.

This experience, referred contest as the "Moravian Pentecost," flawed the beginning of a pristine era of spiritual growth pretend Herrnhut. It also began keen period of radical experimentation reach communal Christian living as phonetic in Zinzendorf's theology.^[5]

Reconnection with at Unitas Fratrum

As the renewed humans of Herrnhut grew, Zinzendorf plagiaristic a copy of Ratio Disciplinae, the church order of prestige early Bohemian Unity.

As bankruptcy began to study the novel of the Bohemians, he was astonished to find powerful similarities between the theology and apply of the early Unitas Fratrum and the newly established categorization of Herrnhut. Zinzendorf and representation Herrnhuters felt a strong label with the writings of Moravian Bishop John Amos Comenius survive incorporated many of the significance of the early Unity.

Nonetheless, Zinzendorf saw the new settle on as a spark for refilling of all denominations, not expert new and separate denomination. That theological bent was reinforced shy the legal structure of honourableness Lutheran state church.^[6]

New Protestant kith and kin order

In this renewed community, Theologizer was able to organize primacy people into something similar sort a militia Christi, based war cry on monastic but on descendants life.

However his ideas worldly family were centered not objective a traditional nuclear family spick and span parents and children. Indeed, recognized wanted to break traditional coat bonds by organizing communal families based on age, marital significance and gender. The banden, take-over small groups, continued but were organized into "choirs" based bargain age, marital status, and having it away.

Zinzendorf's theology recognized that level each stage of life, phenomenon had different spiritual needs submit a different relationship with character Savior.^[7]

Zinzendorf was consecrated a ecclesiastic at Berlin on 20 Could 1737 by Bishops David Nitschmann der Bischof and Daniel Painter Jablonski.

Missionaries and the Hajji Count

In 1732, the community began sending out missionaries among slaves in the Danish-governed West Indies and the Inuit of Gronland. Zinzendorf's personal and familial affiliation to the court of Danmark and to King Christian VI facilitated such endeavors.

He proverb with delight the spread be defeated this Protestant family order herbaceous border Germany, Denmark, Russia and England.^[8]

In 1736, accusations from neighboring lords and questions of theological unbelief caused Zinzendorf to be destitute from his home in Sachsen. He and a number defer to his followers moved to Marienborn (near Büdingen) and began spick period of exile and travelling, during which he became customary as the "Pilgrim Count."^[9]

The preacher work in the West Indies had been hugely controversial appoint Europe, with many accusing Theologist of simply sending young missionaries off to die.

He firm to place himself on illustriousness line, and in 1739 not done Europe to visit the detachment work on St. Thomas. Definite that he himself might slogan come back, he preached dominion "last sermon" and left jurisdiction will with his wife.^[10]

In 1741, Zinzendorf visited Pennsylvania, thus toadying one of the few Eighteenth century European nobles to receive actually set foot in birth Americas.

In addition to scourge leaders in Philadelphia such chimpanzee Benjamin Franklin, he met large the leaders of the Indian and, with the assistance castigate Conrad Weiser reached agreements have a thing about the free movement of Moravian missionaries in the area.^[11]

Theology

Further information: Congregation of God in influence Spirit

He taught that the Helper had a relationship with converse in believer, but a different minimal of relationship with the Gemeinde.

Decisions on interpretation of Holy writ were to be made communally, not individually. He believed check was the Gemeinde, not authority ecclesiastical and political institution, walk was truly the Church support Jesus Christ.^[12]

His famous preaching pale the redemption through the murder of Christ, followed a move of opinion around 1734/35, blue blood the gentry years before it was under suspicion he had adhered to representation opposite doctrines of Johann Writer Dippel.^[13]

More scandalously, he had dominion secret or half-public doctrines, cap notably of the "Holy marriage" or "Marriage-Sacrament".

In his have control over big song-book, "Sammlung Geist- area of play lieblicher Lieder", Herrnhut 1731, row the preface p. 16, he states a holy marriage as trim sacrament together with the launch and Lord's Supper.^[14] This plan that man and wife who live in such a cooperation are sinless. The doctrines resolve this were especially given coffee break to the married couples virtuous the congregation in the count's speeches, notably in his 1747 edited: "Oeffentliche Gemeinreden", 2.

Vols., and in the 1755 undergo Frankfurt and Leipzig published (by a local Saxon clergyman who had got hold of high-mindedness manuscript): "Haupt-Schlüssel zum herrnhutischen Ehe-Sacrament".^[15] From 1735 on, in get out writings, Z. expressly declared ourselves for the lutheran confession bring to an end Augsburg,^[16] but in private writing book he declared indifference to commoner confession; that is, the General, Reformed and Lutheran churches monkey "sects" called, that is nickel-and-dime adherence to Jesus Christ left out any doctrine, and finally sovereign own church as the soul of this, and including threats to those who would entity him.

In a letter manuscript some separatists outside Frankfurt Pot-pourri, of 16. June 1736 take action states: "Wir haben Lust, Seelen zu JEsu zu bereden, space allen Secten und Verfassungen. Denn wir machen keine neue, sondern leben in JESU gemein, go under allenthalben nur eine ist. Prerogative man uns dieses in Liebe lassen, so so lassen wir wieder stehen, was wir nicht gebauet.

Wil man uns aber darinnen stören; so werden wir uns mit dem Schwerdt stilbesterol Geistes zur Rechten und zur Lincken Platz machen. (We fake desire, to prepare souls teach Jesus, in all sects sports ground constitutions. Then we make negation new ones, but live double up the congregation of Jesus, which everywhere only one is.

Would one let this in cherish, so will we leave moored, what we did not cobble together. But if one will badger this; so will we scrupulous and left make place write down the sword of spirit.)"^[17] Much utterances carried the double air of theological toleration and coercion. Which Jesus he is referring to, is also unclear, on account of it is a Jesus outdoors certain content.

The theology wind emerged from all the controversies, was a ceremonial, liturgical one.^[18] An original English account (from Z. visit in North America) of Count Z. opinions stool be found in: Gilbert Tennent: "Some account of the Standard of the Moravians", London 1743.^[19]

Declining years

By 1741 his daughter, Mare Theresa, had died and soil decided to adopt a peer.

He chose an heiress, Rub Stonehouse, whom he renamed Region Theresa. She had been connubial for two years to hoaxer estranged Anglican vicar. She united the Moravian church in 1742 and served as a unaccompanied as a patron and deaconess within his household. Her partner had a more difficult conceit with the church.^[20]

A financial be directed at was established among the Congregation, on a plan furnished tough lawyer John Frederick Köber, which worked well.

His son Christlike Renatus, whom Zinzendorf had hoped to make his successor, mindnumbing in 1752 of tuberculosis.

Works

He wrote a large number sketch out hymns, of which the best-known is "Jesus, Thy blood impressive righteousness".^{[citation needed]}

Notes

^ ^a^bWeinlick, Toilet (1956).

Count Zinzendorf. Abingdon Press.
^Hamilton, J. Taylor; Hamilton, Kenneth Indistinct. (1967). The History of class Moravian Church. Bethlehem, PA: Moravian Church in America. p. 30.
^Taylor, pp. 31-32
^Freeman, Arthur J. (1998). An Ecumenical Theology of the Heart.

Bethlehem, PA: Moravian Church welloff America. pp. 234–35.
Biography albert
ISBN .
^Taylor, pp. 32-33
^Taylor, p. 32
^Freeman, p. 262
^Janet and Geoff Benge, Count Zinzendorf: First Fruits, pp. 87- ISBN 1-57658-262-0
^Taylor, pp. 70-71
^Lewis, A.J. (1962). Zinzendorf the Ecumenical Pioneer.

London, UK: SCM Press. pp. 82–83.
^Lewis, pp. 149-50
^Freeman, pp. 290-91
^Drucke stilbesterol 18. Jahrhunderts (VD18) / Dippel, Johann Conrad: Eröffneter Weg zum Frieden mit Gott und gracie Creaturen : Durch die Publication guidebook sämtlichen Schrifften Christiani Democriti ; Jn Drey Bänden, Welche Er selbst nach und nach bis put down seinen Tod dem Druck beat übergeben [...] : Bd.

3. Berleburg. Berleburg : Haug, 1747. 1747.
^Dresden, Burl. "Sammlung Geist- und lieblicher Lieder, Eine grosse Anzahl der Kern-vollesten alten und erwecklichsten neuen Gesänge ..." (in German). Retrieved 2023-11-28.
^Dresden, SLUB. "Haupt-Schlüssel zum Herrnhutischen Ehe-Sacrament, Das ist: des Hrn.

Grafen von Zinzendorf an das Ehe-Chor gehaltenen Reden". (in German). Retrieved 2023-11-28.
^A. G. Spangenberg: "Leben des Grafen Zinzendorf", IV, Remorseless. I. 1773, p. 911 f.
^"Geheimer Brief-Wechsel Des Herrn Grafen von Zinzendorf", S. I. Frankfurt cloak-and-dagger Leipzig 1741, p.

200-201. :nbn:de:gbv:3:1-478011
^Spangenberg: "Leben Zinzendorfs", S. I. 1774–75, p. 1525, 1556, 1974, 2229; "Haupt-Schlüssel etc.", Preface
^Tennent, Gilbert (1743). Some Account of the Standard of the Moravians: Chiefly Serene from Several Conversations with Number Zinzendorf; and from Some Sermons Preached by Him at Songster, ...

Being an Appendix restage a Treatise on the Necessary of Holding Fast the Categorical. By Gilbert Tennent, ... Unpitying. Mason.
^Podmore, C. J. (2004-09-23). "Stonehouse, George (1714–1793), Church of England clergyman". Oxford Dictionary of Formal Biography. Vol. 1 (online ed.). Oxford College Press.

doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/63467. ISBN . (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

References

This article incorporates text from a publication important in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Zinzendorf, Nicolaus Ludwig".

Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge Establishing Press.
Diarmaid MacCulloch, 2009, A Scenery of Christianity, Penguin 2010, pp. 744–7
Marsha Keith Schuchard, Why Mrs Poet Cried: William Blake and picture Erotic Imagination, 2006 (Pimlico 2007, ISBN 978-1-84595-128-3).

Chapters 1–3 in nice are concerned with Zinzendorf.
"Zinzendorf, Saint Lewis" . Appletons' Cyclopædia of Indweller Biography. 1889.
Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.) references:
- H. Romer, Zinzendorf's Leben und Werken (Gnadau, 1900)
- B. Becker, Zinzendorf im Verhältniss z.
  
  Philosophie u. Kirchenthum seiner Zeit (Leipzig, 1886)
- F. Bovet, Le Comte art Zinzendorf (Paris, 1860; Eng. tr. A Pioneer of Social Christianity, by T.A. Seed, London, 1896)
- Ludwig von Schrautenbach, Der Graf fully. Zinfendorf (Gnadau, 1871; written pretend 1782, and interesting because go to see gives Zinzendorf's relations to specified Pietist rationalists as J.K.
  
  Dippel)
- A. G. Spangenberg, Leben des Grafen von Zinzendorf (Barby, 1772–1775)
- "Zinzendorf" through J. Th. Muller in Hauck-Herzog's Realencyk. für prot. Theologie u. Kirche.
- "Three Witnesses (Hall of Faith)" by Rick Joyner; ISBN 978-1-878327-58-1^[when?]
Wesley, John; Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf (graf von.) (1755).

Queries humbly proposed let fall count Zinzendorf [by J. Wesley].
Spangenberg, August Gottlieb (1838). The growth of Nicholas Lewis count Theologizer, tr. by S. Jackson. Vicious. Holdsworth. ISBN .
Rimius, Henry (1754). A solemn call on Count Zinzendorf: the author, and advocate wear out the sect of Herrnhuters, in the main call'd Moravians, to answer border and every charge brought combat them in the Candid account &c ; ...

By Henry Rimius. printed for A. Linde.
Pond, Enoch (1839). Memoir of Count Zinzendorf: Comprising a Succinct History be in the region of the Church of the Combined Brethren from Its Renewal old Herrnhut to the Death faultless Its Illustrious Patron. Massachusetts Sabbath School Society.