Christian Cyclopedia

(ca. 1500–70). Little known about early youth; matriculated Wittenberg 1523; prior Augustinian monastery at Speyer ca. 1530. Began preaching justification by faith, but did not engage in polemics. The city council, recognizing the need of regular services for people who had broken with Rome, appointed him pastor 1538 and protected him against pressures from his superiors. When Charles* V came to Speyer (1541, 1544, 1548), Diller left. Introd. Communion under both kinds 1543. During the Interim* was in Switz. Chaplain of Count Palatine Ottheinrich 1553. The count became elector, and Diller went with him to Heidelberg 1556; helped write Heidelberg and Baden ch. orders and took part in ch. visitations 1556; attended Consultation of Worms* 1557; elector Frederick* III (1515–76), who succeeded Ottheinrich 1559, retained Diller as adviser. In the controversies of the times he followed a mediating course; rebuffed by T. Hesshus,* he sided more and more with the Reformed, e.g., at the 1564 colloquy at Maulbronn; appeared little in pub. during last 6 yrs. of his life; d. Heidelberg. WGT