Meet Martin Chemnitz, the Second Martin

Martin Chemnitz was a gifted churchman. He reformed churches, examined and taught pastors, preached and brought doctrinal unity to regions he supervised. As a skilled ecclesiastical diplomat, he helped opposing theologians settle disagreements. As a careful, well-read and thorough author, he clarified the teachings of Martin Luther and forged bodies of doctrine for Lutheran territories. Most importantly, he led a team of theologians to craft the Formula of Concord and to gather the chief confessions of the Lutheran church into one volume, The Book of Concord.

Martin Chemnitz was born in Treuenbrietzen of Brandenburg. Saxony, Germany on 9 November 1522 to Paul and Euphemia Chemnitz and baptized in St. Mary’s Church. His father died when he was eleven years old. To help support the family, he first became a weaver’s apprentice and later worked for his brother in the family business. When he was twenty, he began his university studies, interrupted by the need to work to finance his education, teaching school and collecting local taxes on fish. He briefly attended the University of Wittenberg, where he studied under Philipp Melanchthon and heard Martin Luther lecture and preach.

After the death of Luther, Chemnitz attended the then new University of Königsberg, where he served as the librarian for the Duke of Prussia and the University. He used the time to read widely and begin his study of theology. He returned to Wittenberg in 1554 to study under Melanchthon and lecture on the reformer’s Loci Communes.

Martin Chemnitz was ordained in November of 1554 by Johannes Bugenhagen to become co-adjutor of Joachim Mörlin, who was ecclesiastical superintendent for the Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and a leader in the Gnesio Lutheran movement. In 1566, he followed Mörlin as superintendent, in which office he served until he died.

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana