Samuel Heinrich Fröhlich
Samuel Heinrich Fröhlich | |
|---|---|
The only surviving image of Froehlich. | |
| Born | Samuel Heinrich Fröhlich July 4, 1803 Brugg, Canton of Aargau, Switzerland |
| Died | January 15, 1857 (aged 53) Strasbourg, France |
| Resting place | St. Helena Cemetery, Strasbourg |
| Education | University of Basel, University of Zürich |
| Occupations | Anabaptist evangelist, religious leader |
| Spouse | Susette Brunschwiler (m. 1836) |
Samuel Heinrich Fröhlich (Swiss Standard German: [ˈfrøːlɪç]; July 4, 1803 – January 15, 1857) was a Swiss Anabaptist evangelist, theologian, and the founder of the Evangelical Baptist Church, known as Neutäufer (New Anabaptists) in Switzerland and the Apostolic Christian Church in North America. His work contributed to the development of Anabaptist thought in the 19th century and influenced subsequent religious movements.
Born in Brugg, Canton of Aargau, to a family of French Calvinist Huguenot descent, Fröhlich was raised with a strong religious foundation. Initially aligned with the rationalist theology of his time, he experienced a profound spiritual conversion that led him to reject liberal theology and embrace Anabaptist principles such as believer's baptism and the separation of church and state.
His preaching and establishment of new congregations made him a notable figure in the revivalist movement within Europe. Despite facing opposition from the state church and enduring personal hardships, Fröhlich's influence reached across Europe and into North America, and the principles he advocated continue to be part of the Apostolic Christian Church's identity.