Hall Philip Melanchthon and the Cappadocians

A Reception of Greek Patristic Sources in the Sixteenth Century
1. Auflage 2014
ISBN: 978-3-647-55067-1
Verlag: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, Band Band 016, 272 Seiten

Reihe: Refo500 Academic Studies (R5AS)

This work offers a comprehensive examination of how Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560) -- a great philologist, pedagogue, and theologian of the Reformation -- used Greek patristic sources throughout his extensive career. The Cappadocian Fathers (here identified as Gregory Thaumaturgus, Basil of Caesarea, Gregory Nazianzen, and Gregory of Nyssa) were received through the medieval period to be exemplary theologians. In the hands of Melanchthon, they become tools to articulate the Evangelical-Lutheran theological position on justification by grace through faith alone, the necessity of formal education for theologians in literature and the natural sciences, the freedom of the will under divine grace, exemplars for bishops and even princes, and (not least) as models of Attic Greek grammar and biblical exegesis for university students. The book is organized around Melanchthon's use of Cappadocian works against his opponents: Roman Catholic, the Radical Reformers, the Reformed, and in Intra-Lutheran controversies. The author places Melanchthon within the context of the patristic reception of his time. Moreover, an appendix offers a sketch of the 'Cappadocian canon' of the sixteenth century, with notation of the particular sources for Melanchthon's knowledge and the references to these works in modern scholarly sources. While often accused by his critics (past and present) of being arbitrary in his selection of patristic authorities, too free with his quotations, and too anxious for theological harmony, this work shows Melanchthon 'at work' to reveal the consistent manner and Evangelical-Lutheran method by which he used patristic material to proclaim 'Christ and his benefits' throughout his multifaceted career.

Dr H. Ashley Hall is Assistant Professor of Theology at Creighton University.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Hall, H. Ashley

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Kirchengeschichte Frühes Christentum, Patristik, Christliche Archäologie
• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Religionsgeschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Systematische Theologie Geschichte der Theologie, Einzelne Theologen

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Cover
;1
2;Title Page;4
3;Copyright;5
4;Acknowledgements and Dedication;6
5;Table of Contents;8
6;Body;14
7;Introduction;14
7.1;The Cappadocian Fathers Identified;17
7.2;The Serpent and the Cross;19
8;Chapter 1: Melanchthon's Understanding of Patristic Authority;24
8.1;1. Introduction;24
8.2;2. The Patristic Revival of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries;26
8.2.1;2.1 On Humanism and Scholasticism;26
8.2.1.1;2.1.1 Christian Humanist and the Reformation;29
8.3;3. Melanchthon: “Between” Humanism and Reform?;33
8.3.1;3.1 Melanchthon and Erasmus;36
8.3.2;3.2 Melanchthon and Luther;37
8.4;4. Melanchthon and Patristic Authority;40
8.5;5. Melanchthon's Method for Reading Patristic Sources;42
8.5.1;5.1 Melanchthon and History;42
8.5.2;5.2 Melanchthon's Understanding of Tradition;46
8.5.3;5.3 The Necessary Distinction between the Law and the Gospel;48
8.5.4;5.4 The Interplay between Gospel, Scripture, and Tradition;52
8.6;6. Toward Greater Clarity Concerning Key Phrases and Concepts;54
8.6.1;6.1 Consensus Antiquitatis;54
8.6.2;6.2 Scriptores puriores;58
8.6.3;6.3 Chain of Teachers;59
8.6.4;6.4 The Church as a School;61
8.6.5;6.5 A Theological Grammar;62
8.7;7. Why the Cappadocians?;66
9;Chapter 2: Melanchthon and Greek Patristic Sources;68
9.1;1. Introduction;68
9.2;2. Greek Patristic Sources in Italy: Byzantine Editors and Translators;69
9.2.1;2.1 The Aldine Press;70
9.3;3. Christian Humanism in German Universities;71
9.3.1;3.1 University of Heidelberg;71
9.3.2;3.2 University of Tübingen;72
9.3.3;3.3 University of Wittenberg;73
9.3.3.1;3.3.1 Greek and Rhetoric at Wittenberg;75
9.4;4. Melanchthon's Education and Early Career;76
9.4.1;4.1 Early Education;76
9.4.2;4.2 Melanchthon's University Education;78
9.4.3;4.3 Professor of Greek and Rhetoric and Student of Theology;80
9.5;5. Melanchthon's Patristic Lectures and Knowledge of Cappadocian Material;83
9.6;6. Melanchthon's Evaluation of Basil and Gregory Nazianzen;87
9.6.1;6.1 De Ecclesia et De Autoritate Verbi Dei, 1539;87
9.6.1.1;6.1.1 Criticisms of the Cappadocians;88
9.6.2;6.2 De Basilio Episcopo, 1545;92
9.6.3;6.3 Postilla, On Basil, 1555/1549;95
9.6.4;6.4 De Gregorio Nazianzeno, 1558;98
9.6.5;6.5 Images of Melanchthon Associated with the Basil and Nazianzen;101
9.6.5.1;6.5.1 Melanchthon and Basil; Cranach the Younger, 1559;101
9.6.5.2;6.5.2 Melanchthon and Gregory Nazianzen; Cranach Workshop, 1560;103
9.7;7. Conclusion;104
10;Chapter 3: Use of the Cappadocians Against the Radical Reformers;106
10.1;1. Introduction;106
10.2;2. The Radical Reformers;107
10.2.1;2.1 The Zwickau Prophets;110
10.3;3. Theological Criticisms of Radicalism;114
10.3.1;3.1 On the Merit of Theological Studies: The Unity of Church and Academy;114
10.3.2;3.2 A Defense of Philosophy and the Natural Science;120
10.3.3;3.3 Cappadocians as Exemplary Learned Theologians;121
10.4;4. Melanchthon against the Anti-Trinitarians;123
10.4.1;4.1 Defense of “Logos” as “Word”;125
10.4.1.1;4.1.1 Biblical Testimony;125
10.4.1.2;4.1.2 The Patristic Testimony;126
10.5;5. Cappadocian References to Christological and Trinitarian Doctrines in Didactic Works;130
10.5.1;5.1 Augmented Sections in Subsequent Editions of the Loci Communes;130
10.5.1.1;5.1.1 The Loci Communes, 1535;133
10.5.1.2;5.1.2 The Loci Communes, 1543;136
10.5.1.3;5.1.3 Heubtartikel Christlicher Lere, 1553;138
10.6;6. Defense of Christological and Trinitarian Formulations in Other Works;140
10.6.1;6.1 On the Divinity of the Holy Spirit Proven through Baptism;140
10.6.2;6.2 The Holy Spirit at Creation;142
10.7;7. Conclusion;143
11;Chapter 4: Use of the Cappadocians against Roman Catholic Arguments;144
11.1;1. Introduction;145
11.2;2. The Doctrine of Justification by Grace through Faith Alone;146
11.2.1;2.1 Appeals to St. Paul and St. Augustine;146
11.3;3. St. Basil on Grace;150
11.3.1;3.1 Melanchthon and St. Basil on Justification;151
11.4;4. On Bishops and Councils;156
11.4.1;4.1 On the Power of the Papacy;159
11.4.2;4.2 Basil on Episcopal Oversight;161
11.4.3;4.3 Basil as Model for the Princes;161
11.4.4;4.4 Gregory Nazianzen on Councils;162
11.5;5. Melanchthon on Basil's Confrontation with the Emperor;165
11.6;6. On Monasticism;166
11.7;7. On the Eucharist and the Sacrifice of the Mass;170
11.7.1;7.1 The Liturgies of Sts. Basil and John Chrysostom;172
11.7.2;7.2 Melanchthon's Appeals to the Greek Canon;173
11.8;8. Conclusion;181
12;Chapter 5: Use of the Cappadocians against the Reformed and in Intra-Lutheran Conflicts;184
12.1;1. Introduction;184
12.2;2. Melanchthon's Study of the Cappadocians in the Eucharistic Debates;186
12.3;3. Melanchthon's Citation of the Cappadocians in the Debate Over Free Will;198
12.3.1;3.1 The Loci communes of 1543;199
12.4;4. Melanchthon's Citation of St. Basil in the Controversy over Grace;208
12.5;5. Melanchthon's Citation of St. Gregory Nazianzen in the Controversy over Grace;209
12.5.1;5.1 The Controversy over Grace during the Augsburg Interim (1548);210
12.6;6. Melanchthon's Appeals to St. Gregory Nazianzen for the Virtue of Forgiveness;215
12.7;7. Conclusion;218
13;Appendix: The Reception of Cappadocian Texts in the Sixteenth Century;220
13.1;1. Introduction;220
13.2;2. The Cappadocians: Formation of an Image;222
13.2.1;2.1 Oration 43 of Gregory Nazianzen;222
13.3;3. The Cappadocians in Early Hagiographies and Church Histories;225
13.3.1;3.1 Eusebius of Caesarea, Historia ecclesiastica;226
13.3.2;3.2 St. Jerome, De viris illustribus;226
13.3.3;3.3 Rufinus of Aquileia, Historia ecclesiastica;228
13.3.4;3.4 Socrates, Historia ecclesiastica;229
13.3.5;3.5 Sozomen, Historia ecclesiastica;231
13.3.6;3.6 Theodoret of Cyrrhus and Cassiodorus;233
13.3.7;3.7 Jacobus de Voragine, The Golden Legend;235
13.4;4. Feast Day;236
13.5;5. The Cappadocian Canon: History of Text Reception in the Sixteenth Century;237
13.5.1;5.1 Modern Studies in the Textual Reception of Cappadocian Material;239
13.5.2;5.2 Gregory Thaumaturgus and Gregory of Nyssa;241
13.5.3;5.3 Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nazianzen;247
13.5.4;5.4 The Wittenberg University Catalogue of 1536;254
13.6;6. Patristic Anthologies in the Sixteenth Century;256
14;Abbreviations;258
15;Index;260
16;Back Cover
;274

Über Autor(innen)

Hall, H. Ashley
Dr H. Ashley Hall is Assistant Professor of Theology at Creighton University.