LUTHER AND MELANCHTHON
Reformation Men and Theology, Lesson 5 of 11

1. Luther had been criticized, and rightly so, for his mistakes. He did not go far enough in his reform. He retained the crucifix, candles and other elements of Romanism.
   
   
2. He also placed the church under the control of civil authority, which led to corruption.
   
   
3. He is most criticized because he failed to cooperate with the Swiss Reformers and thus to present a solid block of Protestants against Catholic power in Europe. At Marburg, the Swiss Reformers drew up fifteen points of doctrine on which they wanted the German Reformers to agree. Luther agreed on fourteen points wholeheartedly, but disagreed on the single issue of the sacrament of the Lord's Table. Zwingli, a Swiss Reformer, held that the elements were symbols and there was nothing mystical in the elements at all. Luther disagreed and the Reformation stayed a splintered movement, losing much of its effectiveness.

"He taught two or three times every day a variety of topics, including ethics, Greek and Hebrew grammar; he explained Homer, Plato, Plutarch, Titus, Matthew, Romans, the Psalms. In the later period of his life, he devoted himself exclusive to sacred learning" (Schaff, History of the Christian Church).

"I am rough, boisterous, stormy, and altogether warlike. I am born to fight against innumerable monsters and devils. I must re-move stumps and stones, cut away thistles and thorns, and clear the wild forests; but Master Philippus comes along softly and gently, sowing and watering with joy, according to the gifts God has abundantly bestowed upon him" (Schaff).

"Had Luther been without Melanchthon, the torment might have overflowed its banks; when Melanchthon missed Luther, he hesitated and yielded, even when he ought not to have yielded" (D'aubigne).

"Without Luther the Reformation would never have taken hold of the common people: without Melanchthon it would never have succeeded among the scholars of Germany. Without Luther, Melanchthon would have become a second Erasmus, though with a profounder interest in religion; and the Reformation would have resulted in a liberal theological school, instead of giving birth to a Church. However much the humble and unostentatious labors and merits of Melanchthon are overshadowed by the more striking and brilliant deeds of the heroic Luther, they were, in their own way, quite as useful and indispensable" (Schaff).

1. In his later years, Melanchthon modified his position on predestination and free will. In the beginning he held to the convictions of Luther, but later changed. He made this change to appease Rome and to find common ground with the papal system, for Rome was violently opposed to election and predestination. Melanchthon had many conferences with Reformed and Roman divines, and wanted peace at all costs. It was the influence of Erasmus, the humanist, that caused him to abandon what he thought was fatalistic theology. He taught a cooperation (synergism) of the divine and human wills in the work of con-version. He went back to semi-Pelagianism and laid the ground for Armenianism in Lutheran theology. He believed that God had to take the initiative to convict of sin, but man could accept or reject divine grace. Thus he said, "God draws the willing" to salvation. He would not, however, condemn the doctrines of unconditional election, predestination and total depravity of the human will because Luther had always held to these so tenaciously. He tolerated Augustinianism as a theological opinion, but rejected it himself. The Augsburg Confession, which is the basis for all Lutheran theology, is a product of Melanchthon and not of Luther.
   
   
2. Melanchthon also gave up the corporal presence of Christ in the elements of the Lord's Table (consubstantiation) for a spiritually real presence view. This was to compromise with Calvin who held this position. Melanchthon never accepted the Zwinglian view of a mere commemoration.
   
   
3. Melanchthon never gave up the teaching of justification by faith in Christ alone for salvation, but he added a form of works to justification to prove one's salvation. He reacted to the antinomian (against law) tendencies of some Lutherans who felt belief in the gospel was enough and a changed life was optional.
   
   
4. Melanchthon was very willing to compromise with Rome. He was willing to admit a certain supremacy of the Pope, providing he would tolerate the free preaching of the gospel.