Sebastian Franck: Sämtliche Werke / Texte. Band I,5: Paradoxa

Within the framework of the collected edition of Sebastian Franck’s (1499–1542) works, the editors present a pivotal work of the Reformation period, Sebastian Franck’s ›Paradoxa‹, in a new scholarly edition. This edition is based on the »editio princeps« from 1534, which was published by Hans Varnier in Ulm. In the preface to the ›Paradoxa‹ the author states »Nu hab ich diß mein Philosophei Paradoxa intituliert/vnd Paradoxum ain Wunderred/oder Wunderwort/verteütscht/Weil die Theologei/der recht sinn der Schrifft (so allain gottes Wort ist) nicht ist/dann ain ewig Paradoxū/wider allen wahn/schein/glauben/vnd achtung der gantzen welt/gewiß vnd waar«(I have now called my philosophy Paradoxa/and put paradoxum into German as a wonder speech or wonder word/Because theology is not the real meaning of the Scriptures, which alone are God’s word/but certain and true an eternal paradox against all delusion/appearance/belief and esteem of the whole world). The preface also contains his philosophy: the world does not believe in the Gospel, cannot adhere to or tolerate it. It has treated God’s true messengers as heretics. In its view, the Bible is a holy book locked with seven seals. If one understands the Bible as a »killing letter«, the result is a great deal of incongruity and senselessness. Franck wrote his ›Paradoxa‹ for those who were spiritually righteous. For him, the church as an institution was superfluous. He deals with these and other subjects in his 280 (actually 292) Paradoxa. – A detailed volume of commentaries, published separately, has been added to the volume of texts in order to facilitate the reader’s access to this work with annotations, references, quotations and documents from the text. At the end of the volume of commentaries there is a detailed index.