HONTER (HONTERUS), JOHANN: Hungarian
Reformer; b. at Kronstadt (70 m. ex.e. of Hermannstadt) 1498; d. there Jan. 23, 1549. In 1515
he entered the University of Vienna. Fifteen years
later he
was attending lectures and teaching Latin
grammar at Cracow, but he seems to have gone in
the same year to Basel, where he remained until
his native city recalled him in 1533. As early as
1519 the ideas of the German Reformation had
found admission into Saxon Transylvania. A flourishing industrial and mercantile activity promoted prosperity, education, independence, and
freedom which maintained its own convictions and
rights in religion as well as in politics. Thus the
doctrine of Rome, which placed all power in the
hands of popes and bishops, had never entirely
supplanted the ancient privileges of the congregation. The influence of the University of Vienna,
moreover, elevated the spirit of the Saxon youth
and formed a contrast with the doctrines of Rome.
Luther's doctrines had, accordingly, been firmly
established in Hermannstadt since the beginning of
the third decade of the sixteenth century, and had
'found a powerful patron in Markus Pempflinger, the
royal judge. About the same time the new teaching
had entered Kronstadt, but there it was Honter
who first gave it definite direction, although
prima
rily he influenced it chiefly in a literary way by
establishing a printing-press. In him were united the
two chief tendencies of the time, the regeneration of
classical literature and of Evangelical Christianity.
He proceeded with caution in introducing the new
gospel, nor did he break openly with the established
religion, since he drew his material from Augustine
and looked upon the Reformation as a revival of
old truths. In 1542, however, he boldly avowed
the cause of Evangelicalism in his
Formula reformotionia ecclesice Coronensis ac Barcenais totius provinciea.
Thenceforth the Reformation made rapid progress.
Jeremias Jekel, a priest of Kronstadt, married, the
mass was abolished, and the sacrament was administered in both kinds. The deputies of town
and country assembled for a final decision on the
reformation of the Church, and shortly afterward a
church visitation was instituted to test the lootrines of the clergy and to remove unworthy
preachers from office. In 1544 Honter became
preacher in Kronstadt, and in the same year the
academy of the city was reorganized on the basis of
the
Comtitutio acholca Coronensia,
which he had
drafted in the previous year, Valentin Wagner, a disciple from Wittenberg, being its first president. In
1547 Honter recast his
Formula reformationia
of 1543
both in Latin
(Reformatio ecclesiarum Saxonicdrum
in. Transailvania)
and in German
(Kirchenordnung
aller Deutschen in. Siebenbargen)
in order to avoid
dissension and to introduce uniform ecclesiastical
governance. The main topics discussed were the
appointment of the clergy, Christian doctrine, office
of the clergy, baptism, the Lord's Supper, abuse of
private mass, communion of the sick, power of
absolution, excommunication, erection of schools,
organization of relief for the poor, care of orphans,
marriage, reformation of common abuses, annual
visitations, matins, high mass, vespers, -and ceremonies in villages. The church order distinguishes
itself by its moderation, and reveals the conservative principle of the Saxon spirit.
Honter was a prolific writer, his chief works being
De grammatica libri duo
(1530 or 1531);
Rudimenh
torum coamographice ltbri, duo
(Cracow, 1530);
Apologia reformationis
(1543);
Compendium juria civilis,
in usum eivitatum ac aedium Saxoniearum colleetum
(1544); and
Agende für die Seelaorger and Kirchendiener
in Siebenbürgen
(1547).
(F. Teutsch†.)
Bibliography:
The sources. which are greatly scattered,
are indicated in Hauck-Herzog.
RE,
viii. 333. Consult:
O. D. Teutech,
Ueber Honterus
and %ronetadt zu seiner
Zeit,
Hermannetadt,
1878; T. Wolf, Johann Honterut,
Kronetadt,
1894; J.
HSOhsnIann,
Johannes Honter, der
Refonmator ,giebenb2lrpena,
Vienna
1898;
O. Netolioska,
Johannes Honterue.
Kronetadt.
1898:
Moeller,
Christian
Church, iii. 214-215.
