Carlstadt, Andreas

(Andreas Bodenstein; the name Carlstadt came from his birthplace, the city of Carlstadt in Lower Franconia). Born circa 1480; died Dec. 24, 1541, in Basel. A leader of the Reformation in Germany.

Carlstadt became a professor at the University of Wittenberg in 1518. He had already sided with Luther in 1517. Reflecting the mood of the more radical burgher circles, be began to speak more resolutely than Luther in favor of the reform of religious life. In 1521 and 1522, Carlstadt and his followers made far-reaching changes in the church in Wittenberg: among other steps, they removed icons and other cult objects from the churches and abolished clerical celibacy. Persecuted by Luther, Carlstadt from 1523 continued his radical Reformationist preaching in Orlamiinde. He spoke out against attempts to limit the Reformation to the religious sphere. At the same time he opposed the ideas of social revolution propagandized by T. Miintzer. After the Peasant War of 1524–26, Carlstadt was accused of sympathizing with the rebels. However, because of the intercession of Luther, he was not persecuted. From 1534, he was a professor at the University of Basel, in Switzerland.