The funeral sermons Aegidius Hunnius (1550-1603) preached for members of the academic community in Wittenberg reveal both a learned and a warmly emotional piety. A leading figure in early Lutheran orthodoxy, Hunnius participated in the formulation of Lutheran confessional theology and in its defense against Calvinists, "papists," and Anabaptists. During his tenure as professor and pastor in Wittenberg, he also contributed to the rise in popularity of the printed funeral sermon. Hunnius's funeral sermons are evidence that he was a talented preacher and pastor, able to address both the minds and hearts of his parishioners. Even as he instructed them in Lutheran doctrine, teaching that they were justified by faith, that there was meaning in suffering, and that a Christian life lived in service of one's neighbor was the best preparation for death, he put to use his skills in classical rhetoric to speak to their emotions, encouraging transformed feelings, attitudes, and behavior.
In publication since 1969, the Sixteenth Century Journal (SCJ) prints twenty to twenty-five articles and over four hundred book reviews a year. The SCJ is dedicated to providing readers with thought-provoking research and inquiry into the sixteenth century broadly defined (i.e., 1450-1648). Our articles all maintain a strong historical core and cover subjects from around the world.
In publication since 1969, the Sixteenth Century Journal (SCJ) prints twenty to twenty-five articles and over four hundred book reviews a year. The SCJ is dedicated to providing readers with thought-provoking research and inquiry into the sixteenth century broadly defined (i.e., 1450-1648).
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