Kaspar Glatz - Response To The Augsburg Interim

Response To The Augsburg Interim

Nothing more is known of Glatz until 1548. In 1547, Charles V scored a great military victory over the Schmalkaldic League of Evangelical princes. The Elector John Frederick I of Saxony was taken prisoner. His cousin Moritz, who fought on Charles’ side, was made elector of Saxony, and John Frederick was left as prince over a much smaller territory. His sons ruled in his stead while he was imprisoned.

Charles then directed the drawing up of what was called the Augsburg Interim. This document established a compromise religious position in the Protestant lands, but in reality re-established Roman Catholicism with a few concessions to the Protestants.

The Interim was sent to local officials everywhere, including the Saxony princes. Upon receipt, they brought together at Weimar theologians, pastors, and town officials from the territory they still controlled. This company included Glatz. They condemned the Interim as having as much to do with the Augsburg Confession “as Christ with Belial.” Their document was titled Der Prediger der Jungen Herrn/Johans Friderichen Hertzogen zu Sachssen etc. Sönen/Christlich Bedencken auss das Interim—From the Preachers of the Sons of the Young Ruler John Frederick Elector of Saxony, etc.: Christian Objections to the Interim. Glatz was the third signer of sixteen. He signed as “D. & Ecclesiae Orlamundensis Parochus” (doctor and pastor of the church in Orlamünde).

This was not the most significant response to the Interim; many regions also responded. The most significant response was made by the newly installed elector of Saxony, Moritz. He had the Wittenberg theologians draw up a compromise document, mostly the work of Philip Melanchthon, called the Leipzig Interim. Though the statement of the preachers at Weimar was only one of many, it was still a courageous stand taken by Glatz and the others, as Saxony was fresh off military defeat at the hands of the emperor.