Nikolaus Ludwig,
Reichsgraf von Zinzendorf und Pottendorf (26 May 1700 – 9 May 1760) was a German religious and social reformer,
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
of the
Moravian Church
, image = AgnusDeiWindow.jpg
, imagewidth = 250px
, caption = Church emblem featuring the Agnus Dei.Stained glass at the Rights Chapel of Trinity Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
, main_classification = Proto-Prot ...
, founder of the
Herrnhuter Brüdergemeine
, image = AgnusDeiWindow.jpg
, imagewidth = 250px
, caption = Church emblem featuring the Agnus Dei.Stained glass at the Rights Chapel of Trinity Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
, main_classification = Proto-Pro ...
,
Christian mission
A Christian mission is an organized effort for the propagation of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries, to carry on evangelism or other activities, such as ...
pioneer and a major figure of 18th century
Protestantism
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
.
He played a role in starting the
Protestant mission movement by supporting two determined Moravian missionaries
Johann Leonhard Dober
Johann Leonhard Dober (born March 7, 1706, Mönchsroth, Swabia, Germany to Johann Dober and Anna Barbara Link; died April 1, 1766, Herrnhut, Saxony, Germany) was, along with David Nitschmann, one of the two first missionaries of the Moravian Br ...
and
David Nitschmann to go to the Danish colony of
Saint Thomas via
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
to minister to the enslaved population (see ''
Moravian slaves The Moravian Slaves, a popular narrative about Christian Missions concerning Johann Leonhard Dober and David Nitschmann, describes how these two young Moravian Brethren from Herrnhut, Germany, were called in 1732 to minister to the African slaves ...
''). Zinzendorf was critical of
slavery
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
and supported the first Moravian missionaries who in spite of Danish royal support from
Charlotte Amalie of Denmark faced discouragement from some Moravians at Herrnhut (including
Christian David
Christian David (1692–1751) was a German Lutheran missionary, writer and hymnwriter. He travelled as a missionary of the Herrnhuter Brüdergemeine, the Moravian Church, to Greenland and to Native Americans. He is known as the author of hymn stan ...
), the
Danish West India Company, Saint Thomas planters, the risk of getting
malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...
and the slaves themselves.
Born in
Dresden
Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label= Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth ...
, Zinzendorf was often influenced by strong and vehement feelings, and he was easily moved both by sorrow and joy. He was a natural orator, and though his dress was simple his personal appearance gave an impression of distinction and force. His projects were often misunderstood. In 1736, he was banished from
Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
, but in 1749 the government rescinded its decree and begged him to establish within its jurisdiction more settlements like that at
Herrnhut.
He was notable for providing shelter for the German-speaking Moravian exiles at Herrnhut. This settlement was influenced by his
Pietist
Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christianity, Christian life, including a social concern for ...
ideas from the
Lutheran
Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...
faith he was brought up in. Nowadays, the Moravian Church remains heavily shaped by Zinzendorf, in addition to its
Hussite
The Hussites ( cs, Husité or ''Kališníci''; "Chalice People") were a Czech proto-Protestant Christian movement that followed the teachings of reformer Jan Hus, who became the best known representative of the Bohemian Reformation.
The Huss ...
origin. He was called Ludwig or Brother Ludwig by his intimates. He is commemorated as a hymnwriter and a renewer of the church by the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on its
Calendar of Saints
The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context d ...
on 10 May.
Formative years
At age six, young Nikolaus would often write love letters to
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...
. He would then climb to the castle tower and toss them out the window, where they scattered around the courtyard like innocent prayers. During the
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swed ...
, Swedish soldiers overran
Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
in 1706. They entered the room where young Nickolas just happened to be conducting his customary devotions. The soldiers were incredibly moved by the boy's prayer.
His school days were spent at Franke Foundations at
Halle where Pietism was strong, and in 1716, he went to 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 in ...
, to study
law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
so as to be ready for a diplomatic career. Three years later, he traveled in the
Netherlands
)
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, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
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, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, in France, and in various parts of Germany, where he made the personal acquaintance of men distinguished for practical goodness and belonging to a variety of churches. During a visit to an art museum, Zinzendorf was said to have experienced the Holy Spirit upon viewing ''
Ecce Homo'' by Domencia Feti. Young Zinzendorf was convicted, noting: "I have loved Him for a long time, but I have never actually done anything for Him. From now on I will do whatever He leads me to do."
Religious freedom and discord
In 1722, Zinzendorf offered asylum to a number of persecuted wanderers from
Moravia
Moravia ( , also , ; cs, Morava ; german: link=yes, Mähren ; pl, Morawy ; szl, Morawa; la, Moravia) is a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic and one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia.
The m ...
and
Bohemia (parts of
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
today), and permitted them to build the village of
Herrnhut on a corner of his estate of
Berthelsdorf
Berthelsdorf ( hsb, Batromjecy) is a former municipality in the district of Görlitz, in the southeastern part of Saxony, Germany. On 1 January 2013, it was incorporated into the town of Herrnhut.Christian David
Christian David (1692–1751) was a German Lutheran missionary, writer and hymnwriter. He travelled as a missionary of the Herrnhuter Brüdergemeine, the Moravian Church, to Greenland and to Native Americans. He is known as the author of hymn stan ...
and came from areas where the early Protestant groups such as the Unitas Fratrum had been dominant prior to the
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battle ...
. As the village grew it became known as a place of religious freedom, and attracted individuals from a variety of persecuted groups, including the
Schwenkfelders. The concentration of differing beliefs in the village produced intense conflict. Personal and religious differences between the estate manager Heitz and Johann Andreas Rothe, the Lutheran pastor of Berthelsdorf, were made more tense by the apocalyptic preaching of Johann Sigismund Krüger.
He began to visit each home for prayer, and finally called the men of the village together for an intense study of the Scriptures. The question they came to focus on was how the Scriptures described Christian life in community. These studies, combined with intense prayer, convinced many of the community that they were called to live together in love, and that the disunity and conflict they had experienced was contrary to the clear calling of Scripture.
[Taylor, pp. 31-32]
Reconciliation and the Brotherly Agreement
Out of this study and prayer, the community formed a document known as the ''Brüderlicher Vertrag'', the Brotherly Agreement, a voluntary discipline of Christian community. This document, and a set of rules laid down by Zinzendorf known as The Manorial Injunctions, were signed by the members of the community on 12 May 1727. This document, which has been revised over many years, is today known as "The Moravian Covenant for Christian Living." The Moravian Church is one of the few denominations that emphasizes a code of Christian behavior over specific creeds.
Continued study and prayer in small groups known as ''banden'' resulted in a sense of reconciliation in the community, leading to a powerful spiritual renewal on 13 August 1727 during a special communion service at the Berthelsdorf Church. This experience, referred to as the "Moravian Pentecost," marked the beginning of a new era of spiritual growth in Herrnhut. It also began a period of radical experimentation with communal Christian living as expressed in Zinzendorf's theology.
[Taylor, pp. 32-33]
Reconnection with early ''Unitas Fratrum''
As the renewed community of Herrnhut grew, Zinzendorf obtained a copy of ''Ratio Disciplinae'', the church order of the early Bohemian Unity. As he began to study the history of the Bohemians, he was astonished to find powerful similarities between the theology and practice of the early ''Unitas Fratrum'' and the newly established order of Herrnhut. Zinzendorf and the Herrnhuters felt a strong identification with the writings of Moravian Bishop
John Amos Comenius
John Amos Comenius (; cs, Jan Amos Komenský; pl, Jan Amos Komeński; german: Johann Amos Comenius; Latinization (literature), Latinized: ''Ioannes Amos Comenius''; 28 March 1592 – 15 November 1670) was a Czech Philosophy, philosopher, Ped ...
and incorporated many of the ideas of the early Unity. However, Zinzendorf saw the new group as a spark for renewal of all denominations, not a new and separate denomination. This theological bent was reinforced by the legal structure of the Lutheran state church.
[Taylor, p. 32]
New Protestant family order
In this renewed community, Zinzendorf was able to organize the people into something similar to a ''
militia Christi'', based not on
monastic
Monasticism (from Ancient Greek , , from , , 'alone'), also referred to as monachism, or monkhood, is a religion, religious way of life in which one renounces world (theology), worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work. Monastic ...
but on
family life
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideal ...
. However his ideas of family were centered not on a traditional nuclear family of parents and children. Indeed, he wanted to break traditional family bonds by organizing communal families based on age, marital status and gender. The ''banden'', or small groups, continued but were organized into "choirs" based on age, marital status, and gender. Zinzendorf's theology recognized that at each stage of life, we had different spiritual needs and a different relationship with the Savior.
[Freeman, p. 262]
Zinzendorf was consecrated a bishop at Berlin on 20 May 1737 by Bishops
David Nitschmann der Bischof
David Nitschmann der Bischof (David Nitschmann the Bishop, December 18, 1695/96, Suchdol nad Odrou, Moravia – October 8, 1772, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) was with Johann Leonhard Dober one of the two first missionaries of the Moravian Brethren in ...
and
Daniel Ernst Jablonski
Daniel Ernst Jablonski (20 November 1660, Nassenhuben (Mokry Dwór), Royal Prussia, Crown of Poland25 May 1741, Berlin) was
a German theologian and reformer of Czech origin, known for his efforts to bring about a union between Lutheran and Ca ...
.
Missionaries and the Pilgrim Count
![Graf Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf Denkmal Herrnhut](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Graf_Nikolaus_Ludwig_von_Zinzendorf_Denkmal_Herrnhut.jpg)
In 1732, the community began sending out missionaries among
slaves in the
Danish
Danish may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark
People
* A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark
* Culture of Denmark
* Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...
-governed
West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greate ...
and the
Inuit
Inuit (; iu, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ 'the people', singular: Inuk, , dual: Inuuk, ) are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic and subarctic regions of Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories ...
of
Greenland
Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland i ...
. Zinzendorf's personal and familial relation to the court of
Denmark
)
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, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
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, establish ...
and to
King Christian VI
Christian VI (30 November 1699 – 6 August 1746) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1730 to 1746. The eldest surviving son of Frederick IV and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, he is considered one of Denmark-Norway's more anonymous kings, bu ...
facilitated such endeavors. He saw with delight the spread of this Protestant family order in Germany,
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
and England.
In 1736, accusations from neighboring nobles and questions of theological unorthodoxy caused Zinzendorf to be exiled from his home in Saxony. He and a number of his followers moved to Marienborn (near
Büdingen
Büdingen is a town in the Wetteraukreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is mainly known for its well-preserved, heavily fortified medieval town wall and half-timbered houses.
Geography
Location
Büdingen is in the south of the Wetterau below the Vogels ...
) and began a period of exile and travel, during which he became known as the "Pilgrim Count."
[Taylor, pp. 70-71]
The missionary work in the West Indies had been hugely controversial in Europe, with many accusing Zinzendorf of simply sending young missionaries off to die. He decided to place himself on the line, and in 1739 left Europe to visit the mission work on
St. Thomas. Convinced that he himself might not come back, he preached his "last sermon" and left his will with his wife.
In 1741, Zinzendorf visited Pennsylvania, thus becoming one of the few 18th century European nobles to have actually set foot in the Americas. In addition to visiting leaders in Philadelphia such as
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...
, he met with the leaders of the
Iroquois
The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian-speaking confederacy of First Nations peoples in northeast North America/ Turtle Island. They were known during the colonial years to ...
and, with the assistance of
Conrad Weiser
Conrad Weiser (November 2, 1696 – July 13, 1760), born Johann Conrad Weiser, Jr., was a Pennsylvania Dutch (German) pioneer who served as an interpreter and diplomat between the Pennsylvania Colony and Native American nations. Primarily a f ...
reached agreements for the free movement of Moravian missionaries in the area.
[Lewis, pp. 149-50]
Theology
He taught that the Savior had a relationship with each believer, but a different level of relationship with the ''Gemeinde''. Decisions on interpretation of Scripture were to be made communally, not individually. He believed it was the ''Gemeinde'', not the ecclesiastical and political institution, that was truly the Church of Jesus Christ.
[Freeman, pp. 290-91]
His famous preaching of the redemption through the blood of Christ, followed a change of opinion around 1734/35, the years before it was suspected he had adhered to the opposite doctrines of Johann Conrad Dippel.
More scandalously, he had his secret or half-public doctrines, most notably of the "Holy marriage" or "Marriage-Sacrament". In his first big song-book, "Sammlung Geist- und lieblicher Lieder", Herrnhut 1731, in the preface p. 16, he states a holy marriage as a sacrament together with the baptism and Lord's Supper. This means that man and wife who live in such a marriage are sinless. The doctrines of this were especially given out to the married couples of the congregation in the count's speeches, notably in his 1747 edited: "Oeffentliche Gemeinreden", 2. Vols., and in the 1755 at Frankfurt and Leipzig published (by a local Saxon clergyman who had got hold of the manuscript): "Haupt-Schlüssel zum herrnhutischen Ehe-Sacrament".
From 1735 on, in public writings, Z. expressly declared himself for the lutheran confession of Augsburg, but in private letters he declared indifference to any confession; that is, the catholic, reformed and lutheran churches as "sects" called, that is an adherence to Jesus Christ without any doctrine, and finally his own church as the center of this, and including threats to those who would oppose him. In a letter to some separatists outside Frankfurt M, of 16. June 1736 he states:
"Wir haben Lust, Seelen zu JEsu zu bereden, in allen Secten und Verfassungen. Denn wir machen keine neue, sondern leben in JESU gemein, die allenthalben nur eine ist. Will man uns dieses in Liebe lassen, so so lassen wir wieder stehen, was wir nicht gebauet. Wil man uns aber darinnen stören; so werden wir uns mit dem Schwerdt des Geistes zur Rechten und zur Lincken Platz machen. (We have desire, to prepare souls to Jesus, in all sects and constitutions. Then we make no new ones, but live in the congregation of Jesus, which everywhere only one is. Would one let this in love, so will we leave standing, what we did not build. But if one will disturb this; so will we right and left make place with the sword of spirit.)" Such utterances carried the double appearance of theological toleration and dictatorship. Which Jesus he is referring to, is also unclear, because it is a Jesus without certain content. The theology that emerged from all the controversies, was a ceremonial, liturgical one.
An original English account (from Z. visit in North America) of Count Z. opinions can be found in: Gilbert Tennent: "Some account of the Principles of the Moravians", London 1743.
Declining years
A financial board was established among the Brethren, on a plan furnished by lawyer, John Frederick Köber, which worked well. His son
Christian Renatus, whom Zinzendorf had hoped to make his successor, died in 1752 of tuberculosis.
Christian Renatus von Zinzendorf's biography at Find A Grave
/ref>
Works
He wrote a large number of hymns, of which the best-known is "Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness".
See also
* Ronneburg, Hesse
Notes
References
*
* Diarmaid MacCulloch, 2009, ''A History of Christianity'', Penguin 2010, pp. 744–7
* Marsha Keith Schuchard, ''Why Mrs Blake Cried: William Blake and the Erotic Imagination'', 2006 (Pimlico 2007, ). Chapters 1–3 in particular are concerned with Zinzendorf.
*
* Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.) references:
** H. Romer, ''Zinzendorf's Leben und Werken'' (Gnadau, 1900)
** B. Becker, ''Zinzendorf im Verhältniss z. Philosophie u. Kirchenthum seiner Zeit'' (Leipzig, 1886)
** F. Bovet
F is the sixth letter of the Latin alphabet.
F may also refer to:
Science and technology Mathematics
* F or f, the number 15 in hexadecimal and higher positional systems
* ''p'F'q'', the hypergeometric function
* F-distribution, a cont ...
, ''Le Comte de Zinzendorf'' (Paris, 1860; Eng. tr. ''A Pioneer of Social Christianity'', by T.A. Seed, London, 1896)
** Ludwig von Schrautenbach
Ludwig may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Ludwig (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Ludwig (surname), including a list of people
* Ludwig Ahgren, or simply Ludwig, American YouTube live streamer and c ...
, ''Der Graf v. Zinfendorf'' (Gnadau
Gnadau is a village and a former municipality in the district Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 September 2010, it is part of the town Barby. It was founded as a settlement of the Moravian Church
, image = AgnusDeiWindow.jpg
, ...
, 1871; written in 1782, and interesting because it gives Zinzendorf's relations to such Pietist rationalists as J.K. Dippel)
** A. G. Spangenberg, ''Leben des Grafen von Zinzendorf'' ( Barby, 1772–1775)
** "Zinzendorf" by J. Th. Muller in Hauck-Herzog's ''Realencyk. für prot. Theologie u. Kirche''.
** "Three Witnesses (Hall of Faith)" by Rick Joyner
Rick Joyner is a public speaker and author. He founded with his wife the MorningStar Ministries in 1985. He was born in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1949 and grew up in Richmond, Virginia.
Morningstar Ministries
Rick Joyner and his wife, Julie, ...
;
*
*
*
*
Further reading
* Dietrich Meyer: Zinzendorf und die Herrnhuter Brüdergemeine. 1700–2000, Göttingen 2009 (Digitalisat).
* Werner Raupp: Zinzendorf, Nikolaus Ludwig von (1700–1760). In: The Dictionary of Eighteenth-Century German Philosophers. General Editors Heiner F. Klemme/Manfred Kuehn, Vol. 3, London/New York 2010, p. 1320–1323.
External links
"Zinzendorf.com" - Historical site with information on Count Zinzendorf
"Mustardseedorder.com" - explores Zinzendorf's "order of the mustard seed"
(The Cyber Hymnal)
*
Count von Zinzedorf's Letter to King Tomochichi
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zinzendorf, Nicolaus Ludwig
1700 births
1760 deaths
Clergy from Dresden
People from the Electorate of Saxony
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18th-century Moravian bishops
University of Wittenberg alumni
German Protestant hymnwriters
Anglican saints
Counts of Germany
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