Johann Funck, Funk or Funccius (7 February 1518 - 28 October 1566) was a German

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

theologian. He was beheaded after a court intrigue.

Life

Funck was born in Wöhrd, now part of

Nuremberg Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...

. After obtaining an M.A. at the

University of Wittenberg Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg (german: Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg), also referred to as MLU, is a public, research-oriented university in the cities of Halle and Wittenberg and the largest and oldest university i ...

and preaching in several places, he was recommended to

Albert, Duke of Prussia Albert of Prussia (german: Albrecht von Preussen; 17 May 149020 March 1568) was a German prince who was the 37th Grand Masters of the Teutonic Knights, Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, who after converting to Lutheranism, became the first r ...

, by

Veit Dietrich Veit Dietrich, also ''Vitus Theodorus'' or ''Vitus Diterichus'', (8 December 1506 – 25 March 1549) was a Germans, German Lutheran Christian theology, theologian, writer and a Protestant Reformers, reformer. Life and work Veit Dietrich was bor ...

, and went to

Königsberg Königsberg (, ) was the historic Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia. Königsberg was founded in 1255 on the site of the ancient Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades, and was named ...

(Królewiec) in 1547. Initially the pastor at

Altstadt Church Altstadt Church (german: Altstädtische Kirche) was a medieval church in the Altstadt quarter of Königsberg, Germany. It was dismantled during the 1820s and replaced with New Altstadt Church. History The originally Roman Catholic parish church ...

, Funck was made court preacher in 1549.''Schaff-Herzog'' article
/ref> In the

Osiandrian controversy The Osiandrian controversy was a controversy amongst the Lutherans, originated in around 1550 by Andreas Osiander, a German theologian. He asserted that it was only through the righteousness of Christ with respect to the divine nature (entirely ex ...

, Funck sided with

Andreas Osiander Andreas Osiander (; 19 December 1498 – 17 October 1552) was a German Lutheran theologian and Protestant reformer. Career Born at Gunzenhausen, Ansbach, in the region of Franconia, Osiander studied at the University of Ingolstadt before b ...

and

Andreas Aurifaber Andreas Aurifaber (born Goldschmidt, 1514 – 12 December 1559) was a German physician of some repute, but through his influence with Albert of Brandenburg, last grand-master of the Teutonic Knights, and first Protestant duke of Prussia, became ...

who was

physician in ordinary ''In ordinary'' is an English phrase with multiple meanings. In relation to the Royal Household, it indicates that a position is a permanent one. In naval matters, vessels "in ordinary" (from the 17th century) are those out of service for repair ...

to the duke; when Osiander died in 1552, Funck delivered the eulogy.

Joachim Mörlin Joachim Mörlin (5 April 1514, Wittenberg, Electorate of Saxony – 29 May 1571, Königsberg, Duchy of Prussia (now Kaliningrad in Russia) - 1945) was an Evangelical Lutheran theologian and an important figure in the controversies following ...

, his main opponent, was obliged to leave Prussia in 1553. and Funck became the dominant representative of Osiander's theology.

John Albert I, Duke of Mecklenburg John Albert I, Duke of Mecklenburg, in older literature known as ''John'' or'' Johann'' (23 December 1525 – 12 February 1576), was the reigning Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow from 1547 to 1556 and of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 1556 to 1576. I ...

, son-in-law of Duke Albert and a Lutheran, intrigued against Funck, who had to retract certain "heresies" at a synod held at Riesenburg (Prabuty) in 1556 and to promise to abide by the

Augsburg Confession The Augsburg Confession, also known as the Augustan Confession or the Augustana from its Latin name, ''Confessio Augustana'', is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church and one of the most important documents of the Protestant Re ...

and the '' Loci Theologici'' of

Melanchthon Philip Melanchthon. (born Philipp Schwartzerdt; 16 February 1497 – 19 April 1560) was a German Lutheran reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lu ...

. Funck still enjoyed favour at court, however. Aurifaber died in 1559, and Funck married his widow, Osiander's daughter; Funck was both the confessor and counsellor of the duke and treasurer of the duchess, but his position was exposed. An adventurer,

Paul Skalich Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity * Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...

, took advantage of the aging duke; councillors belonging to the nobility were pushed aside. The

Prussian estates The Prussian estates (german: Preußischer Landtag, pl, Stany pruskie) were representative bodies of Prussia, first created by the Monastic state of Teutonic Prussia in the 14th century (around the 1370s)Daniel Stone, ''A History of Central Europe ...

, feeling that their rights were infringed, appealed to the suzerain of the country, King

Sigismund II of Poland Sigismund II Augustus ( pl, Zygmunt II August, lt, Žygimantas Augustas; 1 August 1520 – 7 July 1572) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the son of Sigismund I the Old, whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548. He was the first ruler ...

, who sent a commission in August 1566 to Königsberg to investigate the matter. Funck, together with the councillors

Matthias Horst Matthias is a name derived from the Greek Ματθαίος, in origin similar to Matthew. People Notable people named Matthias include the following: In religion: * Saint Matthias, chosen as an apostle in Acts 1:21–26 to replace Judas Iscariot ...

Hans Schell Hans may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Hans (name), a masculine given name * Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician ** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans ** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi ...

, and

Johann Steinbach Johann, typically a male given name, is the German form of ''Iohannes'', which is the Latin form of the Greek name ''Iōánnēs'' (), itself derived from Hebrew name ''Yochanan'' () in turn from its extended form (), meaning "Yahweh is Gracious" ...

, was charged with opposition to the ecclesiastical and political governance of the state. The Polish commission directed that the case be tried by the court in

Kneiphof Coat of arms of Kneiphof Postcard of Kneiphöfsche Langgasse Reconstruction of Kneiphof in Kaliningrad's museum Kneiphof (russian: Кнайпхоф; pl, Knipawa; lt, Knypava) was a quarter of central Königsberg (Kaliningrad). During the M ...

(Knipawa), Königsberg. Funck, Horst, and Schell were condemned and executed in the marketplace before

Kneiphof Town Hall Kneiphof Town Hall (german: Kneiphöfisches Rathaus) was the town hall of insular Kneiphof, first an independent town and later a quarter of Königsberg, Germany. It served as Königsberg's city hall from 1724 to 1927, after which it became a mus ...

on 28 October 1566. Steinbach had to leave the duchy and Skalich escaped.

Works

The works of Funck are: * ''Chronologia ab urbe condita'' (2 vols., Königsberg, 1545–52); * expositions of Psalms xlvi. (1548), ciii. (1549), and ix. (1551); * ''Auszug und kurzer Bericht von der Gerechtigkeit der Christen für Gott'' (1552); * ''Wahrhaftiger und grundlicher Bericht wie und was Gestalt die ägerliche Spaltung von der Gerechtigkeit des Glaubens sich anfänglich im Lande Preussen erhoben'' (1553); * ''Der Patriarchen Lehre und Glauben'' (1554); * ''Vier Predigten von der Rechtfertigung des Sünders durch den Glauben für Gott. Item: Kurtze Bekenntnis'' (1563).

References

External links

Biography - Akademie der Wissenschaften und Literatur Mainz
;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Funck, Johann 1518 births 1566 deaths 16th-century executions in the Holy Roman Empire People of the Protestant Reformation 16th-century German Protestant theologians German Lutheran theologians People executed in the Holy Roman Empire by decapitation People executed by Prussia Clergy from Nuremberg People from the Duchy of Prussia University of Wittenberg alumni Executed people from Bavaria German male non-fiction writers 16th-century German male writers 16th-century Lutheran theologians