| Johann Christoph Arnschwanger | |
| Birth Date: | 28 December 1625 |
| Occupation: | Pastor and hymn writer |
Johann Christoph Arnschwanger (December 28, 1625 - December 10, 1696) was a German Lutheran pastor and hymn writer.[1] [2]
Arnschwanger was the son of the Nuremberg merchant Georg Arnschwanger and Margarete Rosenhart. After attending school at the Egidien Gymnasium in Nuremberg, he studied theology in Altdorf near Nuremberg from 1644 onwards. In 1647, he moved to the University of Jena and later moved again to the University of Helmstedt where he successfully completed his studies, and under Professor Georg Calixt, he was awarded a master's degree in 1650.
The following year Arnschwanger was appointed vicar in Nuremberg. In 1652, he became a deacon at St. Egidien, followed by becoming a preacher at St. Walpurgis in 1654, a deacon again in 1959, and in 1690, the archdeacon at St. Lorenz.[3]
In 1675, Duke August of Saxony-Weissenfels admitted him to the Fruchtbringende Gesellschaft (Fruitbearing Society). He gave him the society's name, the Innocent, and the motto, always remain pure. His emblem was the white wild thyme and his entry is found in the Köthen society book of the Fruchtbringende Gesellschaft under No. 853.
Arnschwanger's oeuvre includes nearly 400 sacred songs. He is known as a contributor of songs to works by the Nuremberg theologian Johann Michael Dilherr, the epiphany song Nun, liebe Seel, nun ist es Zeit, wach auf (Now, dear soul, it is time to wake up), the Easter song Auf, ihr Christen, lasst uns singen (Up, Christians, let us sing), the song for the church consecration festival Kommt her, ihr Christen, voller Freud (Come here, Christians, full of joy) and the song for the warning against damnation Zwei Ort, o Mensch, hast du vor dir, so lang du lebst auf Erden (Two places, O man, you have before you, as long as you live on earth).[4]
At the age of almost 71, Arnschwanger died in Nuremberg on December 10, 1696.