Bucer, or Butzer, Martin

(Nov. 1, 1491-Feb. 28, 1551). Reformation leader. He was born in Schlettstadt, Alsace. Bucer came under the influence of Martin Luther, and from 1523 he worked as a reforming pastor in Strasbourg. After the death of Ulrich Zwingli in 1531, Bucer became the leader of the reformed churches in Switzerland and South Germany. He worked with Hermann von Weid, Archbishop of Cologne, to produce the Church Order known as Hermann's Consultation (1543), which had some influence on the 1549 Prayer Book. In 1548 he went to England at Thomas Cranmer's invitation and was appointed Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge University, a position he held until his death. Bucer's opinion of the 1549 Prayer Book was stated in his Censura, and some of his suggestions were incorporated into the 1552 Prayer Book. He also had an influence on the Ordinal of 1550.