Matthäus Zell (also Mathias Zell; anglicized as Matthew Zell) (21 September 1477, in Kaysersberg – 9 January 1548, in Strasbourg) was a Alsatian Lutheran pastor and an early Protestant reformer based in Strasbourg. He joined the Reformation as early as 1521.
His widow was Katharina Zell.
Life Zell was the son of a wine maker in Kaysersberg. He studied at the Universities of Mainz, Erfurt and Freiburg im Breisgau. His compatriot Johann Geiler von Kaysersberg exerted a strong influence on him.
After graduation, he taught for a time before taking over the pastorate of St Lawrence’s Chapel at Strasbourg Cathedral in 1518. In 1521 he showed public support for Luther’s teaching and was accused of being a heretic by the Bishop of Strasbourg.
In 1523 he broke Catholic regulations by getting married; his wife Katharina Schütz became the first citizen of Strasbourg to marry a priest. Zell continued to preach and write until his death. He was buried at the cemetery of St Urban.
Publications His written works include;
Ein Collation auff die einfierung M. Anthonij, 1523; Christian Responsibility, 1523; Appellatio, 1524; Frag u. Antwort uff die Artickel d. Christl. glaubens, 1535; Abridged Fragbuechlin, 1537
References
General references Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, ADB 45 (1900), 17ff. Realenzyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche, Band 21 Seite 650
T. W. Röhricht. Matthäus Zell (Mitt. a. d. Gesch. d. ev. K. d. Elsasses 3). Straßburg 1855, 84-154. W. Baum. Capito und Bucer. Elberfeld 1860, 195ff. Ficker-Winkelmann. Handschriftenproben 2. Straßburg 1905, 55. J. Adam. Ev. kg d. Stadt Straßburg. Straßburg 1922. Martin Bucers Deutsche Schriften 1, Gütersloh 1960, 31 u. ö. M. Weyer, L'Apologie chrétienne du réformateur strasbourgeois Matthieu Zell (Christliche Verantwortung, 1523), 3 Bde., Diss; Université de Strasbourg, 1981. M. Weyer, Martin Bucer et les Zell: Une solidarité critique, dans Martin Bucer and Sixteenth Century Europe. Actes du colloque de Strasbourg (28-31 août 1991), éd. par Christian Krieger et Marc Lienhard, 2 vol., Leiden-New York-Köln, 1993, p. 275-295 M. Weyer, "Matthieu Zell", in: Nouveau dictionnaire de biographie alsacienne, Strasbourg (Fédération des Sociétés d'Histoire et d'Archéologie d'Alsace) 2003.