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 GROOTE

36

GROPPER

works are: "Tetzel und Luther oder Lebensgeschichte und Rechtfertigung des Ablasspredigers und Inquisi- tors Dr. Johann Tetzel aus dem Predigerorden (Soest and Olpe, 1S53. 2nd ed., 1860; abridged popular ed., "Tetzel und Luther", Soest, 1802); "Die Papst- Geschichte" (2 vols., Ratisbon, 18(54-66, 2nded., 1875). Other important works are: "Sacramentum oder Be- griff und Bedeutung von Sacrament in der alten Kirche bis zur Scholastik " [Brilon (Soest), 1853]; "Glaube und WLssenschaft " (Schaffhausen, I860); "Der Ablass, seine Geschichte und Bedeutung in der Heilsokonomie" (Ratisbon, 1863); "Compendium der Kirchengeschiehte" (Ratisbon, 1870). Among his minor writings are: "Zustand der Kirche Deutsch- lands vor der Reformation" in the " Theologische Quartalschrift" (Tubingen, 1862), 84-138; "Papst und Ivirchenstaat" (Amsberg, 1862). His trans- lations for the Kempten "Bibliothek der Kirchen- vater" are entitled "Tatians, des Kirchenschrift- stellers. Rede an die Griechen" (1872); "Melitos des Bischofs von Sardes, Rede an den Kaiser Antoninus" (1873); "Hippolytus, des Presbj-ters und ilartyrers, Buch iiber Christus und den Antichrist" (1S73); "Hippol\-tus Canones" (1874); "Ausgewahlte Schrif- ten des hi. Basilius des Grossen, Bischofs von Csesarea und Karchenlehrers" (3 vols., 1875-81).

Friedrich Lauchert.

Groote, Gerakd, or Geert De (Gerhahdus Mag- nus), founder of the "Brethren of the Common Life ", b. 1340 at Deventer, Gelderland; d. 20 Aug., 1384. From the chapter school in his native town Geert went for higher studies first to Aachen, then to Paris, where at the Sorbonne he studied medicine, theology, and canon law. He returned home, barely eighteen years old. In 1362 he was appointed teacher at the Deventer chapter school. A few years later his ad- miring coimtrymen sent him to Avignon on a secret mission to Pope Urban V. Soon after we find him in Cologne teaching philosophy and theology, enjoying two prebends and ample means. Warnings of the vanity and danger of this life he heeded not until he met his feUow-student of the Sorbonne, Henrj' JEger of t'alcar, prior of the Chartreuse of Munnikhui- zen near Arnheim. Geert stripped himself at once of honours, prebends, and possessions and entered seri- ously upon the practice of devout life. At this time he also frequently visited the famous ascetic Ruys- broek, and no doubt by the advice of this man of God he withdrew into the monaster}- of Munnikhuizen, where he spent three years in recollection and prayer. From his retreat he issued burning with apostolic zeal. He had received the dkiconate and licence to preach in the Diocese of Utrecht wherever he wished. Young men especially flocked to him in great numbers. Some of these he sent to his schools, others he occupied at transcribing good books, to all he taught thorough Christian piety. Florence Rade^\-}'ns, his favourite disciple, asked him one day: " Master, why not put our efforts and earnings together, why not work and pray together imder the guidance of our Common Father? " In perfect accord both set to work and founded at Zwolle the "Brethren of the Common Life".

His fearless attacks on vice, which spared neither priest nor monk, developed considerable opposition, which culminated in the withdrawal of his licence to preach. He submitted to episcopal authority, but ap- plied to the Sovereign Pontiff for redress. Henceforth his communities, which were .spreading rapidly through the Netherlands, Lower Germany, and Westphalia, claimed and received all his attention. He contem- plated organizing his clerics into a community of canons regular, Init it was left to Radewyns, his suc- cessor, to realize this plan at Windesheim two years later. Before the answer to his petition to the pope arrived, Geert De Groote died from pestilence, con- tracted in ministering to the sick. Groote was the

first successful practical mystic, who worked and prayed, and taught others to do the same. He did much for literature in general, for the spread of know- ledge, and for the development of the vernacular in the Netherlands and Germany. Of his biographies the " Mta Gerardi " of Thomas a Kempis still remains the best.

Kerk(]cfich. van Nederl.; Delprat. Broederschap van Gecri Groot (.■Vmheim. 1856); .\("QroT. Met Klofster te Windesheim; Weiss, Wellgesehichle, vol. VI (Graz and Leipzig, 1S04).

Charles B. Schrantz.

Gropper, John, eminent jurist and theologian, b. 24 Feb., 1503, at Soest, Westphalia; d. at Rome, 13 March, 1559. On the completion of his classical studies in his native place, he entered at the age of fourteen the University of Cologne to take up the study of jurisprudence, and there on 7 Nov., 1525, received the degree of Doctor of Civil Law. The fol- lowing year he received the office of official sealer in the electoral municipality of Cologne. The religious questions of the day, consequent upon the doctrines of the reformers, now led him to apply himself to the stud}- of theology, and in a short time he had acquired, " privately and without a master", such an extensive knowledgeof that science that he became known as the "os cleri Coloniensis". In 1522, he was made canon at Xanten, and then successively dean, canon, and finally pastor and dean of Soest. His learning, eloquence, and charity towards the poor elicited admi- ration from friends and enemies. He supported Arch- bishop Hermann V of ^\"ied in the reorganization and adjustment of the ecclesiastical and civil law in the electoral province, and was the first to determine the jurisdiction of the archiepiscopate ( Jurisdictionis eccle- siastics archiepiscopalis C'uria> Coloniensis reformatio, Cologne, 1529). In 1530 he accompanied the arch- bishop as assistant counsellor to the Diet of Augsburg, where, \\-ith Arnold of Wesel and Bernard of Hagen, he came into closer relationship with Melanchthon. Toconil:)at more effectually the errors of the Reformers, the archbishop decided upon a provincial synod to be held in Cologne in 1536, and, to insure the best possible results, entrusted the preparation of the decrees to Gropper. The latter performed the task with great credit to himself, and formulated the old canonical regulations regarding the duties of the secular and regular clerg}- with such clearness and precision that the synod approved his proposals with but slight changes, and requested him to compose an enchiridion which would contain at once the canons and a com- mentar}- on them (Institutio compendiaria doctrina; christianae, Cologne, 1538). Other editions appeared simply under the title "Enchiridion" (Paris, 1541, 1550). In it the author gives an exposition of the Apostles' Creed, the Seven Sacraments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Decalogue. Notwithstanding the fact, however, that the work was placed on the index of prohibited books by Clement Vlll. because of the author's adoption of a twofold formal cause of justifi- cation, namely the "justitia inh.frens" and the "justitia imputata", it was nevertheless received by many with enthusiastic approbation. It was sanc- tioned by the theologians of Cologne, and Cardinals Contarini, Pole, and Morone looked upon it as partic- ularly adapted to bring about a reconciliation of the sects ^\-ith Rome. .\t the Congress of Hagenau, in 1540, Gropper, at the instance of Philip, Landgrave of Hesse, entered into conciliator}- negotiations with Bucer, which were continued at Worms and at the religious discussions in Ratisbon; but, while an appar- ent union was effected on the questions of grace and justification, in regard to the authority of the Church and the doctrine of the Eucharist no reconciliation was attempted. While Gropper no doubt accomplished much good by his opposition to the innovations of the reformers, it is but too evident that his zeal for union sometimes led him to sacrifice CathoUc principles.