Johannes Gossner

Johannes Evangelista Gossner (14 December 1773 – 20 March 1858), German divine and philanthropist, was born at Hausen near Augsburg.

He, like Martin Boos and others, came under the spell of the Evangelical movement promoted by Johann Michael Sailer,[2] the professor of pastoral theology.

His evangelical tendencies led to difficulties when he was taken to church court in 1802[2] and eventually brought about his dismissal.

Its purpose was “to train young men from the craftsman class and every other class in a shorter and less expensive way than usual to become assistants in the mission, to become deacons, catechists, school teachers and collaborators in the holy work.” They have to work in “apostolic, unbound and humble simplicity”, following the example of the congregation of the Moravian Church “under the presidency of Jesus Christ.“[5] Missionaries were initially sent out to Australia.

[6] This missionary work is still active today in Germany and, among other places, in India and Nepal.