Editing Johannes Oecolampadius (section)

==Career==
From the beginning the sermons of Oecolampadius centred on [[Atonement in Christianity|atonement]], and his first reformatory zeal showed itself in a protest (''De risu paschali'', 1518) against the introduction of humorous stories into [[Easter]] sermons. In 1518 he published his ''Greek Grammar''. Two years later, he received an invitation to become preacher in the high church in [[Augsburg]]. Germany was ablaze with the questions raised by [[Martin Luther]]'s [[95 theses|theses]], and Oecolampadius's introduction into this environment, when he championed Luther's position, especially in his anonymous ''Canonici indocti'' (1519), seems to have compelled him to severe self-examination, which ended in his becoming a [[monk]]. A short experience convinced him that this was not the ideal Christian life ("''amisi monachum, inveni Christianum''" — "I have lost the monk; I have found the Christian").{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|pp=11–12}} His position as priest in Augsburg was filled by [[Urbanus Rhegius]].<ref name="Ref500" />

In February 1522 he made his way to [[Ebernburg]], near [[Kreuznach]], where he acted as chaplain to a little group of men holding the new opinions who had settled there under the leadership of [[Franz von Sickingen]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=12}}

[[File:Johannes Œcolampadius.jpg|thumb|left|''Johannes Œcolampadius'' by [[Hans Asper]]]]
Oecolampadius returned to [[Basel]] in November 1522, as vicar of St Martin's, and (in 1523) reader of the [[Holy Scripture]] at the [[University of Basel]]. Lecturing on ''[[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]],'' he condemned current ecclesiastical abuses, and in a public disputation (20 August 1523) gained such success that Erasmus writing to [[Zürich]] said, "Oecolampadius has the upper hand amongst us." He became [[Huldrych Zwingli]]'s loyal friend and ally, and after more than a year of earnest preaching and four public disputations in which the popular verdict went in favour of Oecolampadius and his friends, the authorities of Basel began to see the need for [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=12}}

At last Oecolampadius was able to refrain from some practices he believed to be superstitious. Basel was slow to accept the Reformation; the news of the [[German Peasants' War|Peasants' War]] of 1524-1525 and the inroads of [[Anabaptists]] prevented progress; but by 1525 it seemed as if the authorities were resolved to listen to schemes for restoring the purity of worship and teaching. In the midst of these hopes and difficulties Oecolampadius married, in the beginning of 1528, [[Wibrandis Rosenblatt]], the widow of Ludwig Keller, who proved a suitable wife. After his death she married [[Wolfgang Fabricius Capito]], and, when Capito died, [[Martin Bucer]]. She died in 1564.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=12}}

In January 1528 Oecolampadius and Zwingli took part in the [[Bern Disputation]] which led to the adoption of the new faith in that [[cantons of Switzerland|canton]], and in the following year to the discontinuance of the [[Mass (Liturgy)|Mass]] at Basel. In 1529 he became officially the ''[[Antistes]]'' of the [[Reformed Church]] in Basel. The [[Anabaptist]]s claimed Oecolampadius for their views, but in a disputation with them he dissociated himself from most of their positions.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=12}} In October of 1530 he was visited by [[Michael Servetus]] who stayed for about ten months. At first Oecolampadius was impressed by the younger man’s intelligence and scholarship, but eventually he became dismayed by Servetus’ anti-trinitarian theology.<ref>“Hunted Heretic”, Roland H. Bainton, 1953, Revised edition, 2005, Reprinted in 2011</ref>

Oecolampadius died on 24 November 1531.