Caspar Schwenckfeldt, of Ossig in Liegnitz a descendent of a noble
family in Silesia, was born 1490 and studied in Cologne. In 1524 he
helped to introduce the Reformation in Liegnitz. He was twice in
Wittenberg; 1522, when he met Carlstadt and Thomas Muenzer and 1525,
when he visited Luther. He endeavored to interest Luther in the
formation of conventicles, and particularly in his mystical theory
concerning the Lord's Supper, which he considered the correct middle
ground on which Lutherans and Zwinglians might compromise. But Luther
had no confidence in the enthusiast, whom he characterized as a "mad
fool," "possessed by the devil." He said: "In Silesia Schwenckfeldt has
kindled a fire which as yet has not been quenched and will burn on him
eternally."
Because of the troubles and dissensions created in Liegnitz,
Schwenckfeldt, in 1529, was compelled to leave. Having removed to
Strassburg he was zealous in propagating his enthusiasm in Southern
Germany by establishing conventicles of "Lovers of the Glory of Christ,"
as the adherents of Schwenckfeldt called themselves. At a colloquy in
Tuebingen, 1535, he promised not to disquiet the Church. In 1539 he
published his _Summary of Several Arguments that Christ according to His
Humanity Is To-day No Creature, but Entirely Our God and Lord_. He
called it the doctrine of the "Deification of the Flesh of Christ." When
this teaching was rejected as Eutychianism, Schwenckfeldt published his
_Large Confession_, 1540. At the convention of Smalcald, also 1540, his
views were condemned and his books prohibited and burned. Compelled to
leave Strassburg, he spent the remainder of his life in Augsburg, in
Speier and in Ulm (where he died, December 10, 1561). Schwenckfeldt
exchanged controversial writings with many contemporary theologians,
whom he kept in constant excitement. In Liegnitz he was supported by the
ministers Valentin Krautwald, Fabian Eckel, Sigismund Werner, and
Valerius Rosenheyn. His adherents were called "Neutrals," because they
declined to affiliate with any of the existing churches.