ABSTRACT
The end of the sixteenth century was a difficult time for the people of the Catholic Imperial City of Rottweil in south-west Germany. Johannes Uhl was a prolific preacher who gave on average nearly two sermons per week during his tenure, and his admonitions were readily available to the populace from the pulpit. Uhl ensured that priests in the deanery were giving frequent and competent sermons through his active use of visitations. Uhl also felt that penitence and sacramental confession best displayed the people’s love of God. These sermons give a clear picture of his penitential ideas. Uhl was motivated for a number of reasons to assist the people of Rottweil on their journey to reconciliation with God. First was a strong conviction that God was punishing Rottweil for its sins. A second possible motivation for Uhl’s penitential ministry was to help the parish see God, rather than the devil, as the source of its difficulties.
