2021-02-16 Tue

Philipp Melanchthon, German author of the Augsburg Confession of the Lutheran Church (1530), humanist, Reformer, theologian, and educator. He was a friend of Martin Luther and defended his views.

In 1521 Melanchthon published the Loci communes, the first systematic treatment of the new Wittenberg theology developed by Luther. Because of his academic expertise, he was asked to help in founding schools, and he played an important role in reforming public schools in Germany.

Luther, the founder of the Protestant Reformation, and Melanchthon responded to each other enthusiastically, and their deep friendship developed. Both rejected the doctrine of transubstantiation, i.e. that the bread and wine of the eucharist are converted by the Holy Spirit into the flesh and blood of Christ; however, they affirmed that Christ's body and blood are present with the elements of bread and wine in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

Melanchthon’s literary facility, clear thought, and elegant style of expression made him the scribe of the Reformation and the representative of the Evangelicals at numerous colloquies. To honour him Germany Postal Department has issued a stamp in 1997.

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