The volume will aid historians of the Reformation by elucidating as yet imperfectly understood aspects of Capito's thought.

Drawing on the early correspondence of Martin Luther, Timothy Dost presents a reassessment of the degree to which humanism influenced the thinking of this key reformation figure. Studying letters written by Luther between 1507 and 1522, he explores the various ways Luther used humanism and humanist techniques in his writings and the effect of these influences on his developing religious beliefs. The letters used in this study, many of which have never before been translated into English, focus on Luther's thoughts, attitudes and application of humanism, uncovering the extent to which he used humanist devices to develop his understanding of the gospel. Although there have been other studies of Luther and humanism, few have been grounded in such a close philological examination of Luther's writings. Combining a sound knowledge of recent historiography with a detailed familiarity with Luther's correspondence, Dost provides a sophisticated contribution to the field of reformation studies.

Throughout the sixteenth century, political and intellectual developments in Britain and The Netherlands were closely intertwined. At different times religious refugees from one or other country found a secure haven across the Channel, and a constant interchange of books, ideas and personnel underscored the affinity of lands which both made a painful progress towards Protestantism during the course of the century. This collection of ten new studies, all by specialists active in the field, explores the full ramifications of these links, from the first intellectual contacts inspired by the growth of Humanism to the planting of established Protestant churches. With contributions from specialists in art history, literary studies and history, the volume also underscores the vitality of new research in this field and points the way to several new departures in the field of Reformation and Renaissance studies.

This two-volume work describes the significant activities of Martin Bucer, reformer in Strasbourg, and the profound influence he exerted on his contemporaries. The collection brings together sixty contributions in English, German and French by leading Bucer and sixteenth century scholars. They highlight Bucer's profile and style, his theology, his attitude towards social questions of his time, his work in the church, his relationships with contemporaries in the city of Strasbourg and all over Europe, his position on contemporary issues and how his peers perceived him — in short, the many facets of thought, actions, and influence of an important but largely neglected sixteenth century reformer. They also provide new insight into the victories and defeats of Protestantism, and on Bucer's role in the progress of the Reformation in Europe. Dieses Buch stellt das Wirken und die vielfältigen Beziehungen des Strassburger Reformators Martin Bucer dar. Sechzig Beiträge prominenter Spezialisten Bucers und des 16. Jahrhunderts sind in den zwei Bänden vereint. Behandelt werden Bucers Profil und Stil, seine Theologie, seine Haltung zu gesellschaftlichen Fragen seiner Zeit, sein Wirken in der Kirche, seine Beziehungen zu Zeitgenossen in Strassburg und in ganz Europa, seine Verhältnis zu zeitgenössischen Strömungen, die Rezeption Bucers. Die verschiedenen Beiträge erhellen auf vielfältige Weise das Denken, das Wirken und die Austrahlung eines der grossen aber weithin vergessenen Reformators des 16. Jahrhunderts. Sie werfen auch ein neues Licht auf die Siege und Niederlagen der evangelischen Bewegung und die Rolle Bucers bei der Durchführung der Reformation in Europa. The print edition is available as a set of two volumes (9789004098862).

This is the first extensive study of Strasbourg's diverse religious nonconformists beyond 1543, and the first to explore their continuities and discontinuities over two generations. Based on vast archival records in Strasbourg and secondary sources, it moves beyond the political and theological emphases of earlier works to include social history, portraits of village life, and the second generation to 1570. Derksen finds that second generation nonconformists were substantially different from the first. Their social profile changed; from an urban mix of leaders, intellectuals and artisans, they became largely rural folk composed of lower class artisans. Further, in outlook their view narrowed from "radicals" who sought to change church and society at its root to dissenters concerned mainly to survive. At the same time there were continuities. When the revolts of the 1525 Peasants' War were crushed, dissident ideals found new expression in spiritualist, sectarian and apocalyptic streams. In these streams, into the 1560s and beyond, nonconformists continued their call for social and economic justice and meaningful participation in religion. The book will be of interest to historians of the Early Modern period, the Reformation's radicals, popular religion, sixteenth-century society and Strasbourg, and to those interested in the free church tradition.

Over 200 international scholars from a variety of demoninations have contributed to this outstanding, one-volume, comprehensive, reference book. Stressing the importance of events, persons, and theological concepts that have been significant to the Reformed tradition, these articles provide authoritative summaries and stimulating discussion.

Except perhaps for Wittenberg, no place in the German Empire played a greater role in the early Reformation than the free imperial city of Strasbourg. This volume presents the results of a workshop on the correspondence of a major figure in the Strasbourg Reformation, Wolfgang Capito. The collection includes interpretive essays, text editions of two Capito works and documents of a lawsuit that affected his establishment in the city, as well as studies of the problems of producing modern editions of Capito himself and his contemporaries Erasmus, Bucer, Bullinger, and Beza. Readers will find fresh insights into the intellectual, religious, and political world of southwestern Germany in the early sixteenth century.

Volume 4 of The Annotated Luther series presents an array of Luther’s writings related to pastoral work. Luther’s famous Invocavit Sermons and other selected sermons show a forthright and lively preacher. Hymn texts reveal Luther’s grasp of hymnody as a tool for conveying and expressing faith. His Small Catechism as well as several pieces on prayer, including his Personal Prayer Book and A Simple Way to Pray, show his engagement in the basic task of teaching the faith. Luther’s prefaces to his own writings contain personal reflections on his reforming work. Also in this volume are his commentary on The Magnificat, selected letters, and shorter pieces that display his pastoral responses to particular situations: Sermon on Preparing to Die, Whether One May Flee from a Deadly Plague, and Comfort for Women Who Have Had a Miscarriage. Each volume in The Annotated Luther series contains new introductions, annotations, illustrations, and notes to help shed light on Luther’s context and interpret his writings for today. The translations of Luther’s writings include updates of Luther’s Works, American Edition or entirely new translations of Luther’s German or Latin writings.

At the beginning of this volume, Erasmus leaves Louvain to live in Basel. Weary from the many controversies reflected in the letters of the previous volumes, he is also anxious to see the annotations to his third edition of the New Testament through Johann Froben's press. Above all he fears that pressure from the imperial court in the Netherlands will force him to take a public stand against Luther. Erasmus completes a large number of works in the span of this volume, including the Paraphrases on Matthew and John, two new expanded editions of the Colloquies, an edition of De conscribendis epistolis, two apologiae against his Spanish detractors, and editions of Arnobius Junior and Hilary of Poitiers. But the predominant theme of the volume remains 'the sorry business of Luther.' The harder Erasmus persists in trying to adhere to a reasonable course between Catholic and reforming zealots, the more he finds himself 'a heretic to both sides.' His Catholic critics appear the more dangerous. Among them are the papal nuncio Girolamo Aleandro, who is bent on discrediting him at both the imperial and papal courts as a supporter of Luther; the Spaniard Diego López Zúñiga, who compiles a catalogue of Blasphemies and Impieties of Erasmus of Rotterdam; and the Carmelite Nicholaas Baechem, who denounces Erasmus both in public sermons and at private 'drinking-parties.' Erasmus' refusal to counsel severity against the Lutherans is motivated chiefly by concern for peace and the common good of Christendom, and not by any tender regard for Luther and the other reformers. Still, many of the letters in this volume testify to his growing aversion to the reformers, and we see him moving perceptibly in the direction of his eventual public breach with them. A special feature of this volume is the first fully annotated translation of Erasmus' Catalogues Iucubrationum (Ep 1341 A), an extremely important document for the study of Erasmus' life and works and of the controversies they aroused. Volume 9 of the Collected Works of Erasmus series.