Jonathan Krause (1701-1762)

Jonathan Krause (April 5, 1701-December 13, 1762) was a German Lutheran theologian, pastor, and hymn writer. He was born in Hirschberg, Silesia, a region historically associated with Germany and now located in southwestern Poland. He became known for composing German devotional hymns, particularly those associated with the Christian calendar and the worship of the church. Although many of his compositions remained within the German hymn-writing tradition, one of his hymns became known beyond German-speaking congregations through English translation.

Krause received his early education at the Elisabeth Gymnasium in Breslau, beginning in 1716. He subsequently studied at the University of Leipzig before continuing his education at the University of Wittenberg in 1723, where he obtained the degree of Master of Philosophy. His academic training provided a foundation for his subsequent ministry and literary work. After completing his studies, he served as a private tutor in several households before entering pastoral ministry.

In 1732 or 1733, Krause became a deacon at Probsthayn in the Principality of Liegnitz, in Silesia. Historical accounts differ slightly concerning the precise chronology of his early appointments. In 1739, he became pastor in Liegnitz, and in 1741 he was appointed superintendent and assessor of the local church consistory. He held these positions until his death. His responsibilities involved both pastoral ministry and the oversight of church affairs.

Krause was a prolific writer of German sacred hymns. His compositions covered various subjects connected with the Christian faith and the appointed readings of the church year. His first hymn collection appeared in Hamburg in 1732 under the title Die zum Lobe Gottes eröffneten Lippen der Gläubigen in heiligen Liedern über die ordentlichen Sonn- und festtäglichen Evangelia. The collection included hymns based on the Gospel readings for ordinary Sundays and festivals. The distinguished Lutheran theologian Erdmann Neumeister wrote its preface and expressed considerable appreciation for Krause's hymns.

A second collection appeared in Lauban in 1739 under the title Gnade und Wahrheit Gottes in Christo Jesu. This volume expanded upon the earlier collection by including hymns based not only on the Gospel readings but also on the Epistles. It contained one of Krause's best-known compositions, Hallelujah, schöner Morgen, schöner als man denken mag. This Sunday morning hymn subsequently found a place in other German hymnals and became his most widely recognized contribution to congregational hymnody.

The English translation of this hymn is known as Alleluia! Fairest Morning. Through this translation, Krause's work became accessible to English-speaking Christians and entered the wider Protestant hymn tradition. His other German hymns did not achieve the same international recognition.

Jonathan Krause died suddenly of a stroke in Liegnitz on December 13, 1762, aged sixty-one. He left behind a substantial body of German devotional poetry and an enduring contribution to Lutheran hymnody. His work represents the eighteenth-century German tradition of composing hymns closely connected with biblical readings, Christian doctrine, and the worship calendar.

Contribution to Hymnody

Krause's principal contribution was his composition of German church hymns and the publication of collections organized around the Sunday and festival Gospel and Epistle readings. His best-known hymn is:

- Hallelujah, schöner Morgen, schöner als man denken mag (English translation: Alleluia! Fairest Morning).

He also edited the Liegnitz hymnal in its 1745 and 1747 editions.

Historical note: Some older biographical accounts differ concerning the dates of Krause's university studies and his early ministerial appointments. The dates presented here follow the biographical account in the Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (1883), which itself acknowledges discrepancies in earlier sources.