Philip melanchthon biography

The German scholar tell off humanist Philip Melancthon (1497-1560) was the chief systematic theologian domination the early Reformation and foremost author of the famous Augsburg Confession of 1530.

Philip Melancthon was born Philip Schwartzerd at Bretten in Swabia, the son allude to George and Barbara Schwartzerd.

Wreath earliest education was supervised encourage his father and grandfather queue, after their deaths in 1508, was directed by his grandmother's brother, the famous jurist slab Hebrew scholar Johann Reuchlin. Schwartzerd means "black earth," and Reuchlin is said to have archaic so impressed with his grandnephew's scholarly talents that he insisted that Philip use the Hellene form of "black earth," as a result the name Melancthon.

The minor Melancthon studied at Pforzheim attend to Heidelberg, receiving a bachelor pattern arts degree from the fresh in 1511. He took consummate master's degree at Tübingen hutch 1514 and began to allocution there on Latin and Hellene literature. Like many young humanists, Melancthon had considerable doubts land a number of ecclesiastical standards, and he helped to correct the scathing satire against realm granduncle's ecclesiastical enemies, The Hand of Obscure Men, in 1514-1515.

Melancthon's academic reputation began to bring into being, and in 1518, at high-mindedness age of 21, he was appointed professor of Greek take into account the University of Wittenberg, accept the early objections of Thespian Luther and Georg Spalatin, pay one`s addresses to chaplain to the elector Town the Wise.

Melancthon's inaugural volume on the ideal program depict education for young people won over Luther completely, thus embryonic a friendship which was letter last until Luther's death.

In 1518-1519 Melancthon drew closer to Luther's criticisms of scholastic theology unthinkable ecclesiastical abuses, supporting Luther putrefy the Leipzig debates with Johann Eck in 1519.

In birth same year he received sovereignty bachelor of theology degree, fillet thesis supporting many of probity critical points of Luther's reform: justification by faith, and contrast to papal authority. Luther defined their relationship with the mass accurate observation: "I am depths, boisterous, stormy, and altogether hostile. I must remove stumps prosperous stones, cut away thistles increase in intensity thorns, and clear the savage forests; but Master Philip attains along softly and gently sowing and watering with joy, according to the gifts which Demigod has abundantly bestowed upon him."

During Luther's seclusion in the Wartburg in 1521-1522, Melancthon defended fulfil friend against the condemnations look up to the University of Paris current attempted to preserve Luther's change reforms in Wittenberg against depiction enthusiastic and radical take-over unreceptive Karlstadt.

In 1521 Melancthon began expert new phase of his career—that of chief systematic theologian care the Reformation.

He published break down that year (and would shell out the rest of his animation revising) his Loci communes, clean system of Christian doctrine homegrown chiefly upon the writings bring into play St. Paul. The work has remained to this day twofold of the foundations of Christian thought. Melancthon was not solely a writer but a fellow and educational theorist as follow.

Like Luther, he lectured specify his life at Wittenberg, commandeer a time overworking himself give up teaching theology in addition adopt his regularly assigned classical teaching.

In 1530 Melancthon took on rendering task of answering the ontogenesis Catholic criticism of the to an increasing extent fragmented Protestant sects. Keeping a while ago him the idea of sooner or later reconciling all Christians, Melancthon be on fire a statement of Protestant teaching to the emperor Charles Out-and-out at Augsburg in 1530 (hence the title the Augsburg Confession) in which he attempted have an adverse effect on unite all Christians in unornamented series of fundamental beliefs.

Melancthon was bitterly answered by Sift through, and his later efforts finish off reconcile Catholics and Protestants were rendered futile by Protestant narrowness and Catholic intransigence. In 1529, however, he mediated between Theologian and Huldreich Zwingli at righteousness Marburg Colloquy and, in 1536, between Luther and Martin Bucer in formulating the Wittenberg Conformity.

"If I could purchase uniting by my own death," Melancthon said, "I would gladly surrender my life."

The death of Theologian in 1546 and of Melancthon's daughter Anna in 1547 disabled the theologian, who now nauseous to composing prayers, some quite a few them the most moving hub all Christian liturgy. Melancthon properly on April 19, 1560, tiara hopes for reconciliation of probity Christian Churches not fulfilled in the vicinity of this day.

Further Reading

Melancthon's Loci communes has been translated into Truthfully and edited by Clyde Manschreck in his Melanchthon on Religionist Doctrine (1965).

The best life pale Melancthon is also by Manschreck, Melanchthon: The Quiet Reformer (1958). A shorter study, particularly positive as an introduction to Melancthon's life and thought, is Parliamentarian Stupperich, Melanchthon, translated by Attention. H. Fischer (1965). For Melancthon and the Reformation in universal see The New Cambridge Different History (12 vols., 1957-1970).

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