Billick, Eberhard
Billick, Eberhard
(Also Steinberger, Lat. Latomus, Lapicida).
German theologian, opponent of the Reformation, born 1499 or 1500 at Cologne; died there 12 January, 1557. Of a family which gave a number of prominent men to the Carmelites of Cologne, Eberhard entered the Carmelite Order in 1513, took his vows in 1514, became a priest and master of students in 1525, and reader of divinity in 1526; he matriculated at the University of Cologne in 1528, was made Prior of Cassel, 1531, Prior of Cologne, 1536-42, received his licentiate and doctorate of divinity, 1540 and in 1542 was appointed Provincial of the province of Lower Germany. He retained this dignity until his death, for, although nominated auxiliary Bishop of Cologne, he did not live to be consecrated. Billick’s activity on behalf of his order was successful; he enrolled numerous candidates, improved the plan of studies, saved several monasteries from destruction, re-established others, and reformed both his own province and that of Upper Germany, His chief importance, however, lies in his dealings with the Archbishop of Cologne. If Cologne remained true to the Catholic cause the merit is principally due to the provincial of the Carmelites. As the leader of the lower clergy he protested against the heretical tendencies of Archbishop Hermann von Wied, who since 1536 had favoured the Reformers. Von Wied was excommunicated in 1546, gave up the archbishopric in 1547, and died in 1552. It was Billick’s exposure of the archbishop’s breach of faith that led to the latter’s deposition. Writing against Bucer, Billick drew upon himself the ire of Luther and Melanchthon. He took part in the disputations of Worms, 1540, Ratisbon, 1541 and 1546, and Augsburg, 1547, and as theologian accompanied the new Archbishop of Cologne to the Council of Trent, 1551.
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B. ZIMMERMAN Transcribed by Christine J. Murray
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IICopyright © 1907 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightImprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York
Fuente: Catholic Encyclopedia
Billick, Eberhard
one of the most famous Roman Catholic theologians of the 16th century, was born at Bilk, near Dusseldorf, and died in the year 1557. He belonged to the Carmelite order, and was professor at Cologne. When it was intended to call Butzer to Cologne, he opposed this movement by publishing his Judicium, Deputatorum Universitatis et Secundarii Cleri Coloniensis (1543). In 1545 he published another polemical work against Protestantism, which was propagated at Cologne, under the title, Judicii Universitatis et Cleri Coloniensis Adversus Calumnias Philippi Melanehthonis, Martini Buceri, etc. In 1546 he was present at the Ratisbon colloquy. Pope Paul IV honored him with the title of bishop of Cyrene. See Hartzheim, Bibl. Col. page 174 sq.; Hagen, Geschichte Aachens, 2:139; Ennen, Geschichte der Stadt Kdln, 4:1875; Varrentrapp, Hermann von Wied (Leipsic, 1878); Pastor, in Wetzer u. Welte’s Kirchenlexikon, s.v. (B.P.)