Protestants Destroy Church?

[Rev. Edward Engelbrecht]

The church was destroyed during the Protestant Reformation that swept through Europe in the 16th century and led to the creation of new branches of Christianity, the archaeologists said in the statement.

https://www.livescience.com/otto-the-great-church-discovered.html

Any clues as to this history? Typically, churches were repurposed rather than destroyed. What happened here? The article does not explain.

[Steven W Bohler]

The church was destroyed during the Protestant Reformation that swept through Europe in the 16th century and led to the creation of new branches of Christianity, the archaeologists said in the statement.

https://www.livescience.com/otto-the-great-church-discovered.html

Any clues as to this history? Typically, churches were repurposed rather than destroyed. What happened here? The article does not explain.

It might be a good question to ask the article's author.  I wonder if it was really a church, or whether it was more of a royal chapel (considering its connection with a palace, as mentioned in the article, as well as the relative lack of religious items and burials found there).

[Michael Slusser]

The church was destroyed during the Protestant Reformation that swept through Europe in the 16th century and led to the creation of new branches of Christianity, the archaeologists said in the statement.

https://www.livescience.com/otto-the-great-church-discovered.html

Any clues as to this history? Typically, churches were repurposed rather than destroyed. What happened here? The article does not explain.

The German to which the article links says only "Die Mauern wurden nach der Reformation komplett abgetragen, " i.e. "The walls were completely pulled down after the Reformation . . . "

Peace,
Michael

[Dave Benke]

Even though Wikipedia is an uneven source of knowledge, this link has a nice list of all the destruction going on in the wake of the Reformation:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_wars_of_religion

Saxony, of course, became a Protestant stronghold, so it might be assumed that the church referenced was one of the casualties.  It's listed as a 16th century destruction.

From my family heritage, there's never anything wrong with calling someone Otto and Great at the same time.  Lots of Ottos in any Teutonic family tree.

Dave Benke

[Dan Fienen]

Let's not forget that Luther had issues with some of the iconoclasts who numbered themselves among his followers, sometimes claiming to complete what Luther had only begun.

[John_Hannah]

Looks like a "Castle" church, probably not used by any parishioners.

Peace, JOHN

[Randy Bosch]

"Castle" churches were very common adjuncts to royal quarters, and often re-purposed over the years.
A famous example:  The Basilica d'San Marco (St. Mark's Cathedral) in Venice, adjacent to the Doges Palace, was for many centuries the Chapel of the Palace (rather more ornate than many...).  The Chapel became the Basilica, or cathedral, of the Archdiocese  at the command of Napoleon Empire overlords in 1807, placing the function there to be in the center of and under the thumb of government in the former Republic.  Why?  Check out Napoleon's history of "revisions" to the church and placing of its authority under his crown (self-coronated fellow).  The church of San Pietro d'Castello on the east-side island of Olivolo (now Isola San Pietro) had been the seat of the Archdiocese and then the Basilica of the Patriarch of Venice - as far from the seat of secular power as could be in the island city.
All still standing, after numerous remodels/restorations.

By the way, the Doge was elected, not royalty, but "palace" sounds important.

[John_Hannah]

The Castle church in Torgau was designed by Luther himself; it is the only example of Luther's "architecture." It's interesting because of its simplicity, for example with a free standing altar. It is too small to be useful for the community. The Castle church in Wttenberg is large but used, I believe, only by tourists, mostly Armericans.

Perhaps "Otto's chapel" became structurally unsound; think Surfside, FL.

Peace, JOHN

[Randy Bosch]

The Castle church in Torgau was designed by Luther himself; it is the only example of Luther's "architecture." It's interesting because of its simplicity, for example with a free standing altar. It is too small to be useful for the community. The Castle church in Wttenberg is large but used, I believe, only by tourists, mostly Armericans.

Perhaps "Otto's chapel" became structurally unsound; think Surfside, FL.

Peace, JOHN

Our then-church choir sang in the Castle Church the day East Germany ceased to exist.  No organized singing was allowed, but the choir broke into an impromptu rendition of A Mighty Fortress in German.  The almost-out-of-work armed guards were not impressed, but ... hey.

[Michael Slusser]

The Castle church in Torgau was designed by Luther himself; it is the only example of Luther's "architecture." It's interesting because of its simplicity, for example with a free standing altar. It is too small to be useful for the community. The Castle church in Wttenberg is large but used, I believe, only by tourists, mostly Armericans.

Perhaps "Otto's chapel" became structurally unsound; think Surfside, FL.

Peace, JOHN

Our then-church choir sang in the Castle Church the day East Germany ceased to exist.  No organized singing was allowed, but the choir broke into an impromptu rendition of A Mighty Fortress in German.  The almost-out-of-work armed guards were not impressed, but ... hey.

THAT is an amazing memory!

Peace,
Michael

[Rev. Edward Engelbrecht]

Thanks, folks, for your insights. The sentence in the article leaves matters open for a full range of possibilities. I suppose we'll have to wait for a fuller report from the archaeologists as to whether the church was intentionally destroyed, mistakenly destroyed, or neglectfully destroyed.

[Rev. Edward Engelbrecht]

Found this in news feed this morning:

Because Otto the Great was associated with what is now known as Catholicism, the church was torn down during the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. Though other Christian structures from the period survived, it's possible that the church was dealt with more severely, since Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism, was born in nearby town of Eisleben.

https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/church-discovered-helfta-germany-1234598283/

Not sure this makes sense. Did Luther rant against Otto? I don't recall that.

[Dan Fienen]

Haven't seen any article that does more than suggest that the church was destroyed during the time of the Reformation and the Reformation was associated with Luther. No details as to exactly who destroyed it or their reasoning. The nearness to Eisleben to associate the destruction with Luther seem pure speculation. Some who associated themselves with Luther were into iconoclasm, but I don't recall Luther himself preaching iconoclasm.

[Dave Benke]

Haven't seen any article that does more than suggest that the church was destroyed during the time of the Reformation and the Reformation was associated with Luther. No details as to exactly who destroyed it or their reasoning. The nearness to Eisleben to associate the destruction with Luther seem pure speculation. Some who associated themselves with Luther were into iconoclasm, but I don't recall Luther himself preaching iconoclasm.

Against the Jews, their lies and the burning of their synagogues is at the very least iconoclastic.

Dave Benke

[Michael Slusser]

Haven't seen any article that does more than suggest that the church was destroyed during the time of the Reformation and the Reformation was associated with Luther. No details as to exactly who destroyed it or their reasoning. The nearness to Eisleben to associate the destruction with Luther seem pure speculation. Some who associated themselves with Luther were into iconoclasm, but I don't recall Luther himself preaching iconoclasm.

Against the Jews, their lies and the burning of their synagogues is at the very least iconoclastic.

Dave Benke

Iconoclasm destroyed images, especially sacred images, and left the churches standing, though bare. (Think Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.)

Destroying sacred buildings themselves is not iconoclastic. It may be barbarian, tyrannical, brutal, and so forth.

Peace,
Michael