Stephan Agricola (c. 1491–1547) [1] was a Lutheran church reformer. Born in Abensberg, at a young age he joined the Augustinian order. As a monk, he studied Augustine deeply. [2] As a student, he went to the universities in Bologna and Venice, where in 1519 he became a Doctor of Theology. He began to preach on whole books of the Bible in 1520. [2] He was led to Lutheranism through his study of Augustine's works on the scriptures. [3] He was accused of Lutheranism as a heresy. [2] Although he claimed his independence of Luther, he was arrested and imprisoned in Mühldorf on November 17, 1522. [2] In 1523 he escaped and came to Augsburg, where with Urbanus Rhegius he fully accepted the Reformation and translated Johannes Bugenhagen's tract ag. Zwingjli into German. [2] He was on the Lutheran side during the Marburg Colloquy, became pastor in Hof in 1532, [2] took part in the meeting at Schmalkalden in 1537, [1] and signed the Smalcald Articles. [4] He was instrumental in introducing the Reformation in the Upper Palatinate, as he was pastor at Sulzbach beginning in 1542. [2] During the Schmalkaldic War, he had to flee to Eisleben, [2] where he died in old age on April 10–11, 1547. Stephen Agricola was a staunch uncompromising Lutheran, earnest and devoted. His son, Stephen, translated some of Luther's commentaries on the minor prophets. [2]