| The Sweet Singer of Lutheranism |
Paul Gerhardt is often considered to be the greatest European hymn writer.
Born in 1607 in Gräfenhaim, near Wittenberg, to Christian Gerhardt, the
village mayor, he trained as a Lutheran pastor. In 1651, he was ordained as the
minister for Mittenwalde. He had in the mean time acted as tutor to the children
of Andreas Barthold and later married one of them, Anna Maria. At Mittenwalde
he spent six peaceful years, during which time he began to publish his hymns,
which were popular and put into the hymn-books of Brandenburg and Saxony.
Born in 1607 in Gräfenhaim, near Wittenberg, to Christian Gerhardt, the
village mayor, he trained as a Lutheran pastor. In 1651, he was ordained as the
minister for Mittenwalde. He had in the mean time acted as tutor to the children
of Andreas Barthold and later married one of them, Anna Maria. At Mittenwalde
he spent six peaceful years, during which time he began to publish his hymns,
which were popular and put into the hymn-books of Brandenburg and Saxony.
His reputation established, in 1657 he was invited to the church of St. Nicholas in Berlin where he
became a favorite preacher of the city and crowds flocked to hear him. Equally well liked in his
private life, he displayed great generosity toward the under-privileged. He met Johann Crüger, the
kantor and organist of Saint Nicholas Church, Berlin and together they produced some of the greatest
Lutheran chorales. However, when "The Great Elector" Friedrich Wilhelm of Brandenburg became
concerned by the internal warring between factions of the Lutheran church and demanded that the
clergy accede to his requests for compromise, it caused problems for Gerhardt. The new edict
required ministers to pledge not to attack each other's doctrines in the pulpit.
became a favorite preacher of the city and crowds flocked to hear him. Equally well liked in his
private life, he displayed great generosity toward the under-privileged. He met Johann Crüger, the
kantor and organist of Saint Nicholas Church, Berlin and together they produced some of the greatest
Lutheran chorales. However, when "The Great Elector" Friedrich Wilhelm of Brandenburg became
concerned by the internal warring between factions of the Lutheran church and demanded that the
clergy accede to his requests for compromise, it caused problems for Gerhardt. The new edict
required ministers to pledge not to attack each other's doctrines in the pulpit.
A great number of the clergy refused to sign and were deposed; Gerhardt,
although popular with all factions, also refused, feeling that his conscience
would not allow him to compromise his beliefs and he was soon removed from
office and barred from holding services even in his own home. He urged his
fellow clergymen to be steadfast in asserting their right to freedom of speech.
His life was difficult. As happened in Schaitberger's own life, during this time
Gerhardt's wife, exhausted by sorrow, declined and died, leaving him alone with
his only surviving child, a boy of six.Three of his five children had already died
in infancy, and now he lost another son, the child on whose death he wrote the
touching hymn, "Thou art mine, yes, still Thou art mine own."
although popular with all factions, also refused, feeling that his conscience
would not allow him to compromise his beliefs and he was soon removed from
office and barred from holding services even in his own home. He urged his
fellow clergymen to be steadfast in asserting their right to freedom of speech.
His life was difficult. As happened in Schaitberger's own life, during this time
Gerhardt's wife, exhausted by sorrow, declined and died, leaving him alone with
his only surviving child, a boy of six.Three of his five children had already died
in infancy, and now he lost another son, the child on whose death he wrote the
touching hymn, "Thou art mine, yes, still Thou art mine own."
Meanwhile, the city of Berlin mourned the loss of its favorite preacher, and meetings were held and
petitions addressed to the Elector who soon relented, declaring the preacher Paul Gerhardt exempt
because he had never been guilty of "bitterness and uncharitableness" in the pulpit in the first place.
This satisfied Gerhardt's admirers. However, when the Elector sent word to Paul Gerhardt of his
re-appointment, he said made it clear that he relied on Gerhardt's moderation and loyalty, and that he
expected him to act in conformity with the spirit of the edict. Gerhardt was just as disturbed by an
implied undertaking, which he said was to a Christian man as binding as any subscription could be,
and he therefore felt himself still unable to accept office on these terms.
petitions addressed to the Elector who soon relented, declaring the preacher Paul Gerhardt exempt
because he had never been guilty of "bitterness and uncharitableness" in the pulpit in the first place.
This satisfied Gerhardt's admirers. However, when the Elector sent word to Paul Gerhardt of his
re-appointment, he said made it clear that he relied on Gerhardt's moderation and loyalty, and that he
expected him to act in conformity with the spirit of the edict. Gerhardt was just as disturbed by an
implied undertaking, which he said was to a Christian man as binding as any subscription could be,
and he therefore felt himself still unable to accept office on these terms.
Gerhardt left, accepting the post of Archdeacon of Lübben an der Spree, in Saxony
in November of 1668 where he spent the last seven years of his life, years of
sadness and loneliness, for his wife was gone, his only child sickly, and he was
living in a kind of exile. He died on May 27, 1676 at 70 years old. His last words
were a line from one of his own hymns: "Us no death has power to kill". The
Lübben congregation commissioned a life-sized painting of him for the church and
in 1930, following renovation, the church was renamed Paul Gerhardt Kirche in his
honor. The painting still hangs there. Beneath it is inscribed a fitting epitaph:
"Theologus in cribro Satanae versatus".. "A theologian sifted in Satan's sieve." He
was buried at the Paul Gerhardt-Kirche, his remains are in a crypt below the altar.
in November of 1668 where he spent the last seven years of his life, years of
sadness and loneliness, for his wife was gone, his only child sickly, and he was
living in a kind of exile. He died on May 27, 1676 at 70 years old. His last words
were a line from one of his own hymns: "Us no death has power to kill". The
Lübben congregation commissioned a life-sized painting of him for the church and
in 1930, following renovation, the church was renamed Paul Gerhardt Kirche in his
honor. The painting still hangs there. Beneath it is inscribed a fitting epitaph:
"Theologus in cribro Satanae versatus".. "A theologian sifted in Satan's sieve." He
was buried at the Paul Gerhardt-Kirche, his remains are in a crypt below the altar.
He wrote more than 120 hymns. Many of his hymns appear for the first time in the "Praxis Pietatis
Melica," a collection of hymns and tunes by Johann Crüger. After Gerhardt's death they were
republished separately, revised from his own manuscripts by his son. Many of his hymns are well
known to English readers, thanks to translations by John Wesley and others. "Not fire, nor sword,
nor thunder, Shall sever me from Thee; Though earth be rent asunder Thou’rt mine eternally: Not
hunger, thirst, nor danger, Not pain, nor pinching want, Nor mighty princes’ anger, My fearless soul
shall daunt. No angel, and no gladness, No throne, no pomp, no show, No love, no hate, no sadness,
No pain, no depth of woe, No scheme of man’s contrivance, Though it be great or small, Shall draw
me from Thy guidance— Not one of these, nor all!"
Melica," a collection of hymns and tunes by Johann Crüger. After Gerhardt's death they were
republished separately, revised from his own manuscripts by his son. Many of his hymns are well
known to English readers, thanks to translations by John Wesley and others. "Not fire, nor sword,
nor thunder, Shall sever me from Thee; Though earth be rent asunder Thou’rt mine eternally: Not
hunger, thirst, nor danger, Not pain, nor pinching want, Nor mighty princes’ anger, My fearless soul
shall daunt. No angel, and no gladness, No throne, no pomp, no show, No love, no hate, no sadness,
No pain, no depth of woe, No scheme of man’s contrivance, Though it be great or small, Shall draw
me from Thy guidance— Not one of these, nor all!"
| The Great Elector Friedrich Wilhelm |
Persistent in his objections, he refused the offer, saying, "It was only the most urgent necessity
which induced me to retire from my pastoral office, and should I now accept it again on these
terms, I should do myself a great wrong; and, so to speak, with my own hands inflict on my soul
that wound which I had formerly, with such deep anguish of heart, striven to avert. I fear that God,
in whose presence I walk on earth, and before whose judgment-seat I must one day appear; and as
my conscience hath spoken from my youth up, and yet speaks, I can see it no otherwise than that if
I should accept my office I should draw on myself God's wrath and punishment."
which induced me to retire from my pastoral office, and should I now accept it again on these
terms, I should do myself a great wrong; and, so to speak, with my own hands inflict on my soul
that wound which I had formerly, with such deep anguish of heart, striven to avert. I fear that God,
in whose presence I walk on earth, and before whose judgment-seat I must one day appear; and as
my conscience hath spoken from my youth up, and yet speaks, I can see it no otherwise than that if
I should accept my office I should draw on myself God's wrath and punishment."