Most people growing up in the Western world have heard of the famous Martin Luther, the man who started the Protestant Reformation against the Catholic Church. Almost none, however, have heard of Luther's professional partner - the man who wrote most of the significant texts we now associate with Lutheranism. This person was Philip Melanchthon; a scholar and leading Protestant theologian. He authored the Augsburg Confession in 1530 and created the first Protestant systematic theology. Let's take a closer look at this forgotten giant of the Protestant Reformation.
Augsburg Confession
Philip Melanchthon created this document during the Protestant Reformation. It became the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church.
Systematic theology
A type of theology that focuses on creating doctrines (narratives) about key issues of faith that come together to form a coherent system of belief.
Philip Melanchthon Biography
Before we look more closely at Melanchthon's impact on the Reformation, let's take a moment to get a sense of who this man was and where he came from.
Fig. 1 - Painting of Philip Melanchthon by Lucas Cranach the Younger
Early Years
Philip Melanchthon was born as Philip Schwartzerd in Southern Germany in 1497. As a boy, he was sent to a Latin school, where he was first introduced to Greek, Latin, and Renaissance Humanism.
Renaissance Humanism
An intellectual movement in early modern Europe that took inspiration from Ancient Greek and Roman cultures. The movement centred on the question of what it meant to be human.
Did you know? As a result of his humanist upbringing, Philip decided to change his German surname Schwartzerd (meaning 'black earth') to its Greek equivalent - Melanchthon.
Philip Melanchthon studied at the Universities of Heidelberg and Tübingen. He became known as a great humanist mind and started lecturing and writing books. In 1518, Melanchthon became a Professor of Greek at the University of Wittenberg.
Reformation Years
When Martin Luther published his Ninety-Five Theses, Melanchthon responded warmly to Luther's cause. Soon, Luther and Melanchthon started working closely together to develop Protestant theology, and Melanchthon became a crucial leader in the Protestant Reformation.
During the early years of the Reformation, Melanchthon wrote several books on theology that were hugely influential in spreading Luther's ideas. He also helped to found and reform many German universities, thus enabling Protestantism to thrive in academic circles.
In 1520, Melanchthon married Katharina Krapp, the daughter of Wittenberg's mayor. The couple had four children together.
Loci Communes
In 1521, Melanchthon published his towering work of Protestant systematic theology - the Loci Communes. The main topics of his work revolved around original sin, grace, law, and free will.
One cannot overstate the significance of this text. It was the first time anyone had tried to condense the many different beliefs circulating in the early Reformation into one coherent system of thought. Luther believed this was such an essential contribution to faith that it deserved to be included in the Scriptures.
Augsburg Confession
In 1530, Melanchthon authored the Augsburg Confession. These 28 articles set out an official summary of the Lutheran theological position. The purpose of this document was to form a coherent confession of faith for Lutherans and to present a defence against Catholic adversaries.
Later Years
Melanchthon's fortunes suffered after Luther died in 1546. Melanchthon had always been more ready to compromise than Luther, and this earned him severe criticism after Luther's leadership had disappeared. He spent his last years in bitter controversies with more radical Protestant reformers and the Catholic Church.
The Philippist Movement
The Philippists were the theologians who decided to follow Melanchthon's more moderate form of Lutheranism. Their main opponents were the Gnesio-Lutherans, who believed that Christ was truly present in the Eucharist.
The Philippists first became a group when Luther died and Melanchthon became the leader of the evangelical church in Germany. Some of Luther's associates did not think Melanchthon was up to the task and followed Matthias Flacius, whereas others believed that Flacius was just trying to assert his own ambitions of leadership. The Philippists believed themselves to be the mean between the extremes of radical Protestantism and Catholicism.
Melanchthon himself never achieved his aim of reuniting the Protestant movement. Although he tried to take the reins of leadership, the Protestant movement splintered further without Luther's charismatic presence.
In 1560, Melanchthon contracted a severe cold that developed into a fever. He died in April 1560 and was buried next to Luther at the Schlosskirche in Wittenberg.
Melanchthon and Luther
Luther and Melanchthon were professional partners in building the cause of the Reformation. They had different personalities and strengths: Melanchthon was the scholarly, quiet, and reserved type who was open to compromise and desired peace. Luther was the loud and combative pastor who wanted truth above all else.
Fig. 2 - Painting of Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon by Lucas Cranach the Elder
The Augsburg Confession showcased the partnership of these two men. Melanchthon took inspiration from Luther's theology and wrote it in a moderate tone while holding fast to all the doctrines that Luther believed. In particular, Melanchthon took pains to explain that Luther had not abandoned the Church, but was returning the Church to the original faith given to the saints.
When Luther died, Melanchthon lost not only his closest professional partner but also his inspiration and influence. His desire for compromise was not able to prevent the Lutheran Church from dividing into several factions. Melanchthon had always been a mouthpiece more than a leader.
Melanchthon summed up the loss of Luther to the cause of the Reformation with the following statement:
The removal, I say, of such a man demands and justifies our tears. We resemble orphans bereft of an excellent and faithful father.1
Melanchthon and Luther: Best Buds or Work Colleagues?
There are some indications that Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon were close friends as well as work colleagues. They worked and lived closely together; Melanchthon gave the eulogy at Luther's funeral, and he took personal responsibility for caring for Luther's widow after his death.
However, Historian H. Ashley Hall cautions us against the popular opinion that Philip Melanchthon and Martin Luther were close friends. He writes that the two were,
[...] men of very different temperaments, ages and intellectual pursuits.2
He thus argues that the professional respect and partnership the two men had should not be romanticised into a close friendship, especially when Melanchthon's letters reveal that others were more intimate confidants than Luther.
Melanchthon Reformation
Historian Johannes Klotsche argues that Melanchthon's primary service to the Reformation was that he 'collected and systematised Luther's works.'3 In this view, Martin Luther is the innovator and the new thinker. Meanwhile, Melanchthon was merely the scribe who took down Luther's brilliance and allowed those ideas to spread.
However, Professor Charles Leander Hill, who translated one of Melanchthon's key works, the Loci Communes, takes a different perspective. He argues that Melanchthon was not merely a vehicle for transmitting the thoughts of Martin Luther, but that he actively contributed his own ideas to the unfolding Protestant theology.
According to Charles Leander Hill,
[Melanchthon] made a conscious and definitive contribution to Protestant doctrine; that he devised both a system of theology and of philosophy decidedly his own; that he shaped the course of the Reformation to no small degree. Melanchthon was no 'mere voice' uttering words dictated by another. He spoke in his own right.4
Several pieces of evidence back up Hill's argument. Firstly, Melanchthon could disagree with Luther, and the two sometimes had fierce debates - revealing that Melanchthon had his own scheme of thought rather than copying Luther's. Furthermore, Melanchthon was the primary author of many documents that became core Protestant texts - such as the Loci Communes and the Augsburg Confession. Luther's theology influenced him, but Melanchthon was the person who first came up with Protestant systematic theology.
Fig. 3 - Diet of Augsburg, where Melanchthon's Augsburg Confession was presented to Emperor Charles V
From this perspective, then, Melanchthon emerges as a significant figure of the Protestant Reformation - a scholar, theologian, and leader in his own right who notably shaped the emerging Protestant movement.
Philip Melanchthon Educational Contribution
Melanchthon was not just a scholar. He also contributed greatly to the shape of Germany's higher and elementary education.
One of his achievements was that he founded several Protestant universities in Germany. These included:
- Königsberg.
- Jena.
- Marburg.
He also reformed several Catholic universities so that they were more in line with Protestant theology. These institutions included:
- Greifswald.
- Wittenberg.
- Cologne.
- Tübingen.
- Leipzig.
- Heidelberg.
- Rostock.
- Frankfurt an der Oder.
Furthermore, Melanchthon was one of a group of 28 commissioners who produced a document called 'Instructions for Visitors' in 1528. This document contained an outline of a curriculum for elementary schools. It was passed into law in the province of Saxony, thus creating the first public school system in the world.
These various achievements in the arena of education earned Melanchthon the title 'The Preceptor of Germany'.
Preceptor
A headmaster, teacher, or instructor.
Philip Melanchthon Quotes
This selection of quotes aims to give a flavour of Melanchthon as a person and as a Protestant theologian.
We must seek the truth, love it, defend it, and hand it down uncorrupted to our posterity.5
Language and literature are from heaven.6
It is contrary to the Gospel to institute or do such works thinking that we merit grace through them, or as though we imagine Christianity could not exist without such service of God.7
Melanchthon - Key takeaways
- Philip Melanchthon was a humanist who became a leading theologian during the Protestant Reformation.
- Melanchthon was born in south Germany in 1497. He died in 1560 after developing a fever.
- Melanchthon was known for being the professional partner of Martin Luther. The two men worked closely together on theology.
- Although Melanchthon is sometimes seen as no more than Luther's mouthpiece, modern voices challenge that assumption. They argue that he was an essential independent thinker in his own right.
- Another of Melanchthon's achievements was his contribution to German higher and elementary education. Amongst other things, he founded three universities and reformed eight others.
References
- Philip Melanchthon, 'On the death of Luther', (1546), p.7.
- H. Ashley Hall, 'Philip Melanchthon and the Cappadocians: A Reception of Greek Patristic Sources in the Sixteenth Century', (2014), pp.38-39.
- Charles Leander Hill, 'The Loci Communes of Philip Melanchthon' in Philip Melanchthon, The Loci Communes, (2007), p.35.
- Charles Leander Hill, 'The Loci Communes of Philip Melanchthon' in Philip Melanchthon, The Loci Communes, (2007), p.35.
- Philip Melanchthon, 'Commonplaces: Loci Communes', (1521).
- Philip Melancthon, quoted in H. Ashley Hall, 'Philip Melanchthon and the Cappadocians: A Reception of Greek Patristic Sources in the Sixteenth Century', (2014), p.23.
- Philip Melanchthon, 'Augsburg Confession', Article XXVI 29, (1530).
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