AMSDORF, NICOLAUS VON (1483-1565), German Protestant
reformer, was born on the 3rd of December 1483 at Torgau, on the
Elbe. He was educated at Leipzig, and then at Wittenberg,
where he was one of the first who matriculated (1502) in
the recently founded university. He soon obtained various
academical honours, and became professor of theology in
1511. Like Andreas Carlstadt, he was at first a leading
exponent of the older type of scholastic theology, but
under the influence of Luther abandoned his Aristotelian
positions for a theology based on the Augustinian doctrine of
grace. Throughout his life he remained one of Luther's most
determined supporters; was with him at the Leipzig conference
(1519), and the diet of Worms (1521); and was in the secret
of his Wartburg seclusion. He assisted the first efforts
of the Reformation at Magdeburg (1524), at Goslar (1531)
and at Einbeck (1534); took an active part in the debates
at Schmalkalden (1537), where he defended the use of the
sacrament by the unbelieving; and (1539) spoke out strongly
against the bigamy of the landgrave of Hesse. After the
death of the count palatine, bishop of Naumburg-Zeitz, he was
installed there (January 20, 1542), though in opposition to the
chapter, by the elector of Saxony and Luther. His position
was a painful one, and he longed to get back to Magdeburg,
but was persuaded by Luther to stay. After Luther's death
(1546) and the battle of Muhlberg (1547) he had to yield to
his rival, Julius von Pflug, and retire to the protection of
the young duke of Weimar. Here he took part in founding Jena
University (1548); opposed the "Augsburg Interim" (1548);
superintended the publication of the Jena edition of Luther's
works; and debated on the freedom of the will, original sin,
and, more noticeably, on the Christian value of good works, in
regard to which he held that they were not only useless, but
prejudicial. He urged the separation of the High Lutheran
party from Melanchthon (1557), got the Saxon dukes to oppose
the Frankfort Recess (1558) and continued to fight for the
purity of Lutheran doctrine. He died at Eisenach on the
14th of May 1565, and was buried in the church of St George
there, where his effigy shows a well-knit frame and sharp-cut
features. He was a man of strong will, of great aptitude for
controversy, and considerable learning, and thus exercised
a decided influence on the Reformation. Many letters
and other short productions of his pen are extant in MS.,
especially five thick volumes of Amsdorfiana, in the Weimar
library. They are a valuable source for our knowledge of
Luther. A small sect, which adopted his opinion on good works,
was called after him; but it is now of mere historical interest.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.--Life, in Th. Pressel, Leben u. ausgewahlte
Schrift. der Vater der luth. Kirche, vol. viii.
(published separately Elberfeld, 1862, 8vo); J. Meier in
Das Leben der Altvater der luth. Kirche, vol, iii.
ed. M. Meurer (1863); art. by G. Kawerau in Herzog-Hauck,
Realencyk. fur prot. Theologie (3rd ed., Leipzig, 1896).
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