|
||
Biography:
Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560) was originally born Philipp Schwarzerd, but his
great-uncle gave him the Greek equivalent of his last name, Melanchthon ("black
earth") because of his ability with languages and philosophy. At the age of just 21 he
was appointed professor of Greek at Wittenberg University - it was here that he met
Martin Luther, becoming his close friend and advisor.
In fact, while Luther was in confinement in the Wartburg, Melanchthon himself was left to be the active leader of the Reformation. It was at this time that he published his own work, Loci Communes, which was an explanation of the basic doctrines of the Reformation along with a critique of Catholic scholasticism. Although he tended to spend most of his time teaching and writing, he also played a major role theological debates between Protestants and Catholics, thus ensuring that his own views were heard and considered by all involved.
Melanchthon is the person who was primarily responsible for creating the Augsburg Confession, a document which influenced nearly every Protestant document which came afterwards. It was delivered at the Diet of Augsburg where Melanchthon represented the Reformation because Luther was in exile at the time. In general, Melanchthon tried to avoid giving offense to Catholics when he presented his positions, something which was rarely true of Luther.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Christianity?
What are the various Christian groups, denominations, sects and heresies? What are some key concepts in Christian theology? What are some of the most important events in Christian history? All of this and more are covered in the Christianity FAQ.What is the Philosophy of Religion?
Sometimes confused with theology, the Philosophy of Religion is the philosophical study of religious beliefs, religious doctrines, religious arguments and religious history. The line between theology and the philosophy of religion isn't always sharp, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious positions, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself, rather than the truth of any particular religion.What is Theism?
What is the difference between monotheism and monolatry? Between pantheism and panentheism? How about between animism and shamanism? Or theism and deism? What the heck is henotheism?What is Religion?
A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear. Read more about how dictionaries, scholars and others have tried to define and explain religion.
