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.

ISBN der Gesamtausgabe: 978-3-7728-0631-5

Zusammenfassung
»The usefulness of this edition is indisputable. Every scholar dealing with Melanchthon in any way, German humanism, Reformation, history of universities and school systems, 16th century history etc. etc. will have to recognise and to use this edition.« Manuela Kahle, Fast Reviews of Books in Renaissance Intellectual History »The most helpful, ingenious, and very effective edition allows an intensive insight into the workspace of the leading figure of the Wittenberg Reformation.« Markus Wriedt, Renaissance Quarterly »Taken a a whole, these letters from this important period in the Reformation may help historians of all kinds gain new, useful insights into the developments that shaped the confessional ethos of the era.« Timothy J. Wengert, Sixteenth Century Journal