Martin Bucer (1491–1551) was a Protestant reformer based in Strasbourg who influenced Lutheran, Calvinist, and Anglican doctrines and practices. Although originally a member of the Dominican Order, after meeting and being influenced by Martin Luther in 1518 he arranged for his monastic vows to be annulled. He then began to work for the Reformation, with the support of Franz von Sickingen. Bucer's efforts to reform the church in Wissembourg resulted in his excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church, and he was forced to flee to Strasbourg. There he joined a team of reformers which included Matthew Zell, Wolfgang Capito, and Caspar Hedio. He acted as a mediator between the two leading reformers, Martin Luther and Huldrych Zwingli, who differed on the doctrine of the eucharist. In 1548, Bucer was persuaded, under duress, to sign the Augsburg Interim, which imposed certain forms of Catholic worship. However, he continued to promote reforms until the city of Strasbourg accepted the Interim, and forced him to leave. In 1549, Bucer was exiled to England, where, under the guidance of Thomas Cranmer, he was able to influence the second revision of the Book of Common Prayer. He is remembered as an early pioneer of ecumenism, and many Protestant denominations have claimed him as one of their own.
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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1271:
Mongol ruler Kublai Khan established the Yuan Dynasty in present-day Mongolia and China. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuan_Dynasty
1892:
The first performance of the fairy tale-ballet The Nutcracker, composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and based on the story by E. T. A. Hoffmann, was held at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nutcracker
1912:
The Piltdown Man: At a meeting of the Geological Society of London, amateur British archaeologist Charles Dawson claimed that he had been given a fragment of a skull that was discovered at a gravel pit near Uckfield, East Sussex, England, which later turned out to be a forgery. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piltdown_Man
1966:
Epimetheus , one of the moons of Saturn, was discovered, but was mistaken as Janus. It took 12 years to determine that they are two distinct objects sharing the same orbit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epimetheus_%28moon%29
1972:
Vietnam War: A few days after peace talks collapsed, the United States began Operation Linebacker II against North Vietnam, the largest heavy bomber strikes launched by the U.S. Air Force since the end of World War II. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Linebacker_II
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
poltroon (n): An ignoble or arrant coward; a dastard; a mean-spirited wretch http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/poltroon
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give us second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new born King!" --Charles Wesley http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Charles_Wesley