Editing Martin Bucer (section)

==Early years (1491–1523)==
Martin Bucer was born in [[Sélestat]] (Schlettstadt), [[Alsace]], a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire. His father and grandfather, both named Claus Butzer, were [[Cooper (profession)|coopers]] (barrelmakers) by trade.{{Sfn |Greschat|2004| pp= 1, 10–1}}{{Refn | group = lower-alpha | {{Harvnb | Eells | 1931 | p=1}} gives his father's and grandfather's names as "Nicholas" and says his father was a shoemaker.}}  Almost nothing is known about Bucer's mother.{{Sfn |Greschat|2004|pp=11–2}}{{Sfn |Eells|1931|p= 1}}{{Sfn | Selderhuis |1999|p=51}}  Bucer likely attended Sélestat's prestigious [[Latin school]], where artisans sent their children.{{Refn | group = lower-alpha | {{Harvnb|Greschat|2004|pp=7–10}} gives the history and details of this prestigious school in Sélestat.}}  He completed his studies in the summer of 1507 and joined the [[Dominican Order]] as a [[novice]]. Bucer later claimed his grandfather had forced him into the order. After a year, he was consecrated as an [[acolyte]] in the [[Saint William's Church, Strasbourg|Strasbourg church]] of the [[Hermits of Saint William|Williamites]], and he took his vows as a full Dominican [[friar]]. In 1510, he was [[ordination|ordained]] as a [[deacon]].{{Sfn | Greschat | 2004|pp= 12–6}}

By 1515, Bucer was studying theology in the Dominican monastery in [[Heidelberg]].  The following year, he took a course in [[dogmatics]] in [[Mainz]], where he was ordained a priest, returning to Heidelberg in January 1517 to enroll in the [[Heidelberg University|university]].{{Sfn |Greschat|2004|p= 17}} Around this time, he became influenced by [[Renaissance humanism|humanism]], and he started buying books published by [[Johannes Froben]], some by the great humanist [[Desiderius Erasmus|Erasmus]]. A 1518 inventory of Bucer's books includes the major works of [[Thomas Aquinas]], leader of medieval [[scholasticism]] in the Dominican Order.{{Sfn |Greschat|2004|p= 25}}

In April 1518, [[Johannes von Staupitz]], the vicar-general of the [[Augustinians]], invited the [[Wittenberg]] reformer [[Martin Luther]] to argue his theology at the [[Heidelberg Disputation]]. Here Bucer met Luther for the first time.{{Sfn |Eells|1931|p=4}}{{Sfn |Greschat|2004|pp=26–7}}  In a long letter to his mentor, [[Beatus Rhenanus]], Bucer recounted what he learned, and he commented on several of Luther's ''[[Ninety-five Theses]]''. He largely agreed with them and perceived the ideas of Luther and Erasmus to be in concordance. Because meeting Luther posed certain risks, he asked Rhenanus to ensure his letter did not fall into the wrong hands. He also wrote his will, which contains the inventory of his books. In early 1519, Bucer received the ''[[baccalaureus]]'' degree, and that summer he stated his theological views in a disputation before the faculty at Heidelberg, revealing his break with Aquinas and scholasticism.{{Sfn |Greschat| 2004 | pp = 27–9}}

[[File:Franz von Sickingen (16 Jh).jpg|thumb|[[Franz von Sickingen]] was the protector and defender of Martin Bucer during his early years.]]
The events that caused Bucer to leave the Dominican Order arose from his embrace of new ideas and his growing contact with other humanists and reformers. A fellow Dominican, [[Jacob van Hoogstraaten]], the [[Grand Inquisitor]] of [[Cologne]], tried to prosecute [[Johann Reuchlin]], a humanist scholar. Other humanists, including the nobles [[Ulrich von Hutten]] and [[Imperial Knight]] [[Franz von Sickingen]], took Reuchlin's side. Hoogstraten was thwarted, but he now planned to target Bucer.  On 11 November 1520, Bucer told the reformer [[Wolfgang Capito]] in a letter that Hoogstraaten was threatening to make an example of him as a follower of Luther.  To escape Dominican jurisdiction, Bucer needed to be freed of his monastic vows.  Capito and others were able to expedite the annulment of his vows, and on 29 April 1521 he was formally released from the Dominican Order.{{Sfn |Eells|1931|pp=5–9}}{{Sfn |Greschat|2004|pp= 29–34}}

For the next two years, Bucer was protected by Sickingen and Hutten. He also worked for a time at the court of [[Louis V, Elector Palatine|Ludwig V, Elector Palatine]], as chaplain to Ludwig's younger brother [[Frederick II, Elector Palatine|Frederick]].{{Sfn|Eells|1931|p= 10}}{{Sfn|Greschat| 2004|p= 38}} Sickingen was a senior figure at Ludwig's court.{{Sfn|Greschat|2004|p=35}}  This appointment enabled Bucer to live in [[Nuremberg]], the most powerful city of the Empire, whose governing officials were strongly reformist.  There he met many people who shared his viewpoint, including the humanist [[Willibald Pirckheimer]] and the future Nuremberg reformer [[Andreas Osiander]]. In September 1521, Bucer accepted Sickingen's offer of the position of pastor at [[Landstuhl]], where Sickingen had a castle, and Bucer moved to the town in May 1522.<ref>{{Harvnb|Eells|1931|pp=10–12}}; {{Harvnb|Greschat|2004|pp=35–40}}</ref> In summer 1522, he met and married Elisabeth Silbereisen, a former nun.<ref>{{Harvnb|Selderhuis|1999|pp=116–117}}</ref>

Sickingen also offered to pay for Bucer to study in Wittenberg. On his way, Bucer stopped in the town of [[Wissembourg]], whose leading reformer, Heinrich Motherer, asked him to become his chaplain. Bucer agreed to interrupt his journey and went to work immediately, preaching daily sermons in which he attacked traditional church practices and monastic orders. On the basis of his belief that the Bible was the sole source for knowledge to attain salvation ({{lang|la|[[sola scriptura]]}}), he preached that the [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]] should not be considered as the recrucifying of Christ, but rather the reception of God's gift of salvation through Christ. He accused the monks of creating additional rules above what is contained in the Bible.{{Sfn |Eells|1931|p= 14}}{{Sfn| Greschat|2004|pp= 42–3}}  He summarised his convictions in six theses, and called for a public disputation. His opponents, the local [[Franciscan]]s and Dominicans, ignored him, but his sermons incited the townspeople to threaten the town's monasteries. The bishop of [[Speyer]] reacted by [[Excommunication|excommunicating]] Bucer, and although the town council continued to support him, events beyond Wissembourg left Bucer in danger. His leading benefactor, Franz von Sickingen, was defeated and killed during the [[Knights' War]], and Ulrich von Hutten became a fugitive.{{Sfn |MacCulloch|2003|p=157}}  The Wissembourg council urged Bucer and Motherer to leave, and on 13 May 1523 they fled to nearby Strasbourg.{{Sfn |Eells|1931|pp=13–8}}{{Sfn |Greschat|2004|pp = 40–5}}