Martin Bucer
Martin Buser (November 11, 1491 - February 28, 1551) was a German Protestant reformer in a Reformed tradition based in Strasbourg that influenced Lutheran, Calvinist, and Anglican doctrines and practices. Bucer was originally a member of the Dominican Order, but after the meeting and influence of Martin Luther in 1518, he took measures to annul the monastic vows. He then began working for the Reformation with the support of Franz von Sikingen. Buser's efforts to reform the church in Wissembourg led to his ex-communication from the Roman Catholic Church, and he was forced to flee to Strasbourg. There, he joined a team of reformers that included Matthew Zell, Wolfgang Capito, and Caspar Hideo. He acted as a mediator between the two leading reformers, Martin Luther and Huldrich Zwingli, who disagreed on the teachings of the Eucharist. Later, Buser sought to reach agreement on common religious beliefs, such as the Metropolitan Confession and Wittenberg Consent, working closely with Philip Melanchthon on the latter. Bucer believed that Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire could be persuaded to join the Reformation. Through a series of conferences organized by Charles V, he tried to unite Protestants and Catholics to create a German national church separate from Rome. He did not achieve this, as political events led to the Schmalkalds war and the retreat of Protestantism within the Empire. In 1548, Buser was persuaded under duress to sign the Augsburg Provisional Period, which imposed certain forms of Catholic worship. However, he continued to promote reforms until the city of Strasbourg took on a temporary character and forced him to leave. In 1549, Buser was exiled to England, where, under the leadership of Thomas Kramer, he was able to influence the second revision of the Book of General Prayers. He died in Cambridge, England, at the age of 59. Although his ministry did not lead to the formation of a new denomination, many Protestant denominations declared him their own. He is remembered as a pioneer of ecumenism.
