Wittenberg Concord
The Wittenberg Concord, Formula Concordiae Lutheran et Bucerius, is a largely shaped by Philipp Melanchthon written theological agreement Reformation theologians of 26 May 1536 " South German " the differences between the Wittenberg theologians to Luther and the representatives of the Swiss and the so-called Reformation in understanding should bridge the Lord's Supper.
Participant
In the negotiations from May 21 to May 28, 1536 in Wittenberg attended the Wittenberg Martin Luther, Philipp Melanchthon, Johannes Bugenhagen, Caspar Cruciger the Elder, Matthew and John Alber Schradin from Reutlingen, Jacob Ottner from Esslingen am Neckar, Johann Bernhard from Frankfurt am Main, Martin Bucer and Wolfgang Capito from Strasbourg, Martin Frecht from Ulm, Justus Menius from Eisenach, Friedrich Myconius from Gotha, Wolfgang musculus and Bonifacius Wolfhart from Augsburg, Gervase Schuler from Memmingen, and only later arrived Johannes Zwick of Constance. Originally Johannes Brenz, Erhard Schnepf, Justus Jonas and Andreas Osiander the Elder should be included. Jonas, however, was tied with matters in Naumburg and signed the Agreement subsequently.
Cause, course and outcome
Purpose of the meeting in Wittenberg was to settle the simmering since 1525 within Reformation eucharistic controversy, which was fought mainly between Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli, and their mutual followers. Luther advocated, based on Mark 14:22 LUT of the opinion that in the bread and wine the body and blood of Christ is really present ( real presence ). For Zwingli and his followers the Lord's Supper was, however, only a Erinnerungsmahl in which Christ ( 1 Cor 11:23-26 NIV based on ) is present in a spiritual way. This understanding was also the representatives of the cities "Upper Germany" ( between Augsburg and Strasbourg ) is predominant. Bucer had increased its efforts since the Marburg Colloquy in 1529 and since Zwingli's death in 1531 to find a balance, however, was met with both sides on rejection. A breakthrough was only achieved in 1534 when the charge of the Reformation in the Duchy of Württemberg Erhard Schnepf ( a Lutheran ) and Ambrose Blarer ( a moderate Zwinglians ) had agreed on a common formula ( the so-called Stuttgart Agreement ). Additional agreement end 1534 were Bucer and Melanchthon in Kassel. Bucer tried in February 1536 to win the Swiss theologian to a stake in the emerging agreement. However, they decided not personally travel to Eisenach ( which initially agreed venue ), but only by Bucer to let the Confessio Helvetica prior submit the sacrament as their commitment.
Because Luther was unable to travel due to illness, the meeting was moved at short notice from Eisenach to Wittenberg. After the arrival of the disputants on May 21 began on May 22 with the negotiations. This Capito and Bucer, Luther went to. Bucer, Luther described how he had already tried to bring about the Agreement between Wittenberg and the so-called Upper German Supper interpretation.
In the house of Luther put it on the negotiation issues fixed, where Luther Zwingli's writings criticized. Bucer tried to mediate further intervene and referred to the Augsburg Confession and the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, with the note of the definition of papal teaching on the sacraments. On May 23, the negotiations continued. Bucer presented here according to the Wittenberg theologians firmly and on a proposal from the setting to Bugenhagen's Supper was then in the appeal of the biblical language use clarified. However, there remained differences between the Upper German and Luther's interpretation of the Lord's Supper, Luther, however, initially accepted. After a religious survey of the Upper German reformers Luther promised to recognize unity. Then Melanchthon was asked to define the Supper agreement. On 26 May, the formula that has been handed down as "Formula Concordiae Lutheran et Bucerius ", submitted to all parties and accepted.
Other topics discussed were the following days, baptism, absolution, school and the extremely sensitive issue of reforming the government. The result of the deliberations was given in writing and signed by Luther, Bugenhagen, Melanchthon and Cruciger. On May 27, the commitment of the Swiss was discussed. Luther expressed his amazement at their interest in the Agreement; many of the confession but seemed unclear that it should therefore be negotiated their accession to the Agreement on. The signing of the Wittenberg Concord as "Formula Concordiae " took place on May 28. With the exception of Constance preacher Zwick, who pleaded not to be legitimized to the Upper German cities took to the Agreement. All participants signed. Later attempts to persuade the Swiss Protestant cantons to join, failed mainly on resistance Heinrich Bullinger, Zwingli 's successor as leader of the Zurich Reformation.
Significance and consequences
The theological teaching difference eventually led to a divergence between German and Swiss Reformation and reasoned thus secondary and the special position of Calvinism, which should take about a European dimension in the light of the Reformed confession education in France. The " German " in the direction of the Reformation, however, remained closed (especially after Luther's death in 1546 ), despite relatively continuous discussions of dogmatic and sacramental questions. Thus, the forced, at the urging of the more prominent Protestant princes Agreement promoted the consolidation of the Smalcald League against the Catholic adversaries to Emperor Charles V, who was wearing since the mid- 1540s with plans to religious, political- legal and material recatholicization in the Evangelical become parts of the empire.