Melanchthons Briefwechsel / Band T 8: Texte 1980-2335 (1538-1539)

The 371 letters in this volume provide insights into Melanchthon's exhausting everyday life: letters of recommendation for students and ten prefaces for scholarly works document his work as a professor in Wittenberg, 17 letters to Joachim Camerarius in Tübingen and 29 letters to Veit Dietrich in Nuremberg show him to be a loyal friend. As an advisor and an expert, he was involved in the implementation of the Reformation in Brandburg and in the Duchy of Saxony. In addition to this, he was dealing with theological disputes (concepts of the Lord's Supper, good works). There is repeated mentioned of the anticipated council and the concern about peace in Germany. In several letters to Henry VIII, Melanchthon tried to get the English king to take the side of the Protestants. The epidemic which was spreading in Wittenberg in 1539 and the problems with his own health caused Melanchthon to write his will.