HEERBRAND, hAr'brdnt, JACOB: German Protestant theologian; b. at Giengen (26 m. e.s.e. of Stuttgart), Swabia, Aug. 12, 1521; d. at Tübingen
May 22, 1600. He was educated at the school at Ulm, and at the universities of Wittenberg (M.A., 1543) and Tübingen (D.Theol., 1550). He considered it the greatest fortune of his life to have been for five years (1538-13) the pupil of Luther and Melanehthon (Oratio funebris in obitum P. Melanthonis, iv.). The Wittenberg student wit styled the diligent scholar the Swabian night-owl. In 1543 he entered the service of the Württemberg Church and accepted a diaconate at Tübingen, in order to continue his studies. For refusing to accept the Interim he was removed from his office, along with Erhard Schnepf (q.v.), on Nov. 11, 1548, but remained in Tübingen to study Hebrew under Oswald Schreckenfuchs, in company with Jakob Andreg. On Feb. 11, 1551, he became pastor at Herrenberg, near Ehingen, where Johann Brenz was then sojourning. In June, 1551, Heerbrand, with the most eminent theologians of the country, subscribed to the Confessio Wirtembergica, and in Mar., 1552, with Brenz and Jakob Beurlin (qq.v.), he was sent to defend it at the Council of Trent. Heerbrand eagerly cooperated with the Swabians in their efforts to allay the Osiandrian controversies (1552-53), and in May, 1554, he was sent to a conference of theologians at Naumburg. On the invitation of the margrave of Baden-Pforzheim he went to Pforzheim in Sept., 1556, as pastor and director of the State Church, which had just been reformed on the basis of the Württemberg agenda. In Sept., 1557, he returned to Tübingen as professor of theology, a position which he retained for forty years, being the last pupil of the Wittenberg Reformers to occupy this chair. He was at the same time superintendent of the stipendium, and eight times rector of the university. In 1590 he succeeded Andre& as chancellor of the university and provost of the cathedral church. He was a frequent festival orator at great academic ceremonies-e.g., at the memorial service in honor of Melanchthon in 1560, and at the university jubilee in 1578. On Jan. 5, 1599, he resigned his offices because of infirmity.
Heerbrand's sermons are distinguished by conformity to Scripture, lucid arrangement, and powerful, often vernacular, expression. As a dogmatician he exerted a wide influence through his disputations and through his extensively circulated Compendium theologize methodi quutesstionibus tractatum (Tübingen, 1573, and often), which recommended itself by its luminous exposition, scholarly treatment, and moderation. During the negotiations of the Tübingen theologians with the Patriarch Jeremiah of Constantinople, it was translated by Martin Crusius into Greek, and sent to Constantinople, Alexandria, Greece, and Asia. Heerbrand evinced remarkable literary activity in the contest with the Roman Catholic theologians; with the Dominician Peter a Soto, in vindication of the Confessio Wirtembergica in 1561, with Melchior Zanger, of EhingenRottenburg, with E. Gotthard of Passau, with J. B. Fickler of Salzburg, with Wilhelm Lindanus, bishop of Ruremond, with the Polish Stanislas Socolocius, with the Freiburg professors F. Lorichius and Michael Hager, and especially with the Jesuits Heinrich Blissemius of Prague and GrAtZ, Gregory of Valencia at Ingolstadt, Sigmund Ernhofer of
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Bibliography: There is no extended biography. Consult: Melchior Adam, Vitro Germanorum eheoloporum pp. W sqq., Heidelberg, 1620 K. WeiaeAckel, Lehrer 'und Unterrrocht an der evangelisden theologischen PakulM der Uniroereitat Tübingen, pp. 19 sqq., Tübingen, 1877; J. Loserth, Die Reformation and Gegeweformation in den innertiStereichischen Ldndern, Stuttgart, 1898. On the Compendium consult: G. C. Storr, De compendiie theologici dogmatic. Tübingen, 1795; W. Gass, Geschichte der protsetantischen Dotmaatik, i. 77, Berlin, 1854; H. L. J. Heppe, Dogmatik des deutschen Protsstantismus, i. 123 sqq., Marburg, 1856; G. Frank, Geschichte der protestantischen Theologis, i. 244, Leipsic, 1882.
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