Jens Nilssøn, 1. Mosebok og stjernene

Sammendrag

Jens Nilssøn is one of few well known early modern humanists in Norway. He was a bishop in Oslo in the late 16th century and published several books in Latin in Rostock. He also left behind important manuscripts for posthumous publication. His humanism has primarily been recognized in terms of literary reception of ideals from Antiquity in his poems, and most of all in his Elegidion, a poetic text written after his daughter passed away in 1581. However, Jens Nilssøn’s humanistic interests also contributed to his occupation with Old Norse literature, as a specific Norwegian way of forwarding the humanist ad fontes slogan. And maybe even more important: Jens Nilsson deserves to be recognized as an exponent of typical North European humanism in his quite elaborate writings on astronomy and astrology. Here he is part of a network deeply influenced by new scientific ideals from the university of Wittenberg, attempting to reform not only theology, but the whole way of thinking and arguing in schools and universities. In the Wittenberg vision for a new science and a new methodology, astronomy played a vital role.