Johann Habermann
Johann Habermann, also Johannes Avenarius (1516–1590) was a German Lutheran theologian.
Life
He was born at Eger (92 m. w. of Prague) on August 10, 1516. He went over to the Lutheran Church about 1540, studied theology, and filled a number of pastorates. After a brief academic activity at Jena and Wittenberg, in 1575, he accepted a call as superintendent of Naumburg-Zeitz.
He died at Zeitz (23 m. s.w. of Leipzig) December 5, 1590.
Works
Though praised by his contemporaries as an Old Testament exegete, his significance lies in the practical field. He published a number of sermons, a Trostbüchlein, a life of Christ, and above all the prayer-book, Christliche Gebet für alle Not und Stende der gantzen Christenheit (1565, 2. edition 1567), in which, for the first time, the prayers for various Christian needs were apportioned among the several days of the week. With a few exceptions the prayers are written in plain Biblical language, without ornament. The work was translated into Latin, English (as The Enimie of Securitie, London, 1580), and French, and was widely circulated in Protestant circles. Despite its occasional crudities of expression the book is still used; and some of the prayers have passed into church books.
References
- Jens Lyster: "Johannes Avenarius (Habermann), Johannes Mathesius und Nicolaus Selnecker als Vorbilder für den dänischen Theologen und Liederdichter Hans Christensen Sthen" (1999), in: Jahrbuch für Liturgik und Hymnologie 2012, page 222-233
- Jens Lyster: Avenarii bönner i Sthens oversättelse. Paa sporet af den danske bönnebogs 1. udgave 1571 [Avenarii Prayers in Sthens Translation. On the track of the first Edition of the Danish prayerbook 1571] in: Kirkehistoriske Samlinger 1976, Akademisk Forlag, Kopenhagen, page 67-83.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Jackson, Samuel Macauley, ed. (1914). "Avenarius, Johannes". New Schaff–Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (third ed.). London and New York: Funk and Wagnalls.
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