Lothar Graf zu Dohna and Richard Wetzel show that Luther's former mentor and father confessor Johann von Staupitz had a big influence on Luther, not only on his biography, but also on his theology, and so was a key figure in the early Reformation period.

The theologian Johann von Staupitz (ca. 1465-1524) is known above all as the young Luther's mentor and father confessor. Lothar Graf zu Dohna und Richard Wetzel have produced divers critical editions of Staupitz's works, among them (2001) the verdict he gave in the heresy proceedings against Stephan Agricola at Salzburg (1523/24).
Now, in the first part of this volume, they make accessible 24 further texts mostly unpublished hitherto from the same case, which help to clear Staupitz' role. In addition to several studies formerly published in hidden places, the second part contains two new contributions: "Law and Gospel" - this fundamental reformatory insight, albeit not Luther's formula (1519), had already been developed by Staupitz -, as well as a report on Staupitz research up until 2016.
This book frees Staupitz from later obliteration and depict him as a key figure at the start of the Reformation, as an influential teacher and a long-life loyal friend of Luther, whose theological influence on his pupil can hardly be overstated.

Autorentext
Geboren 1924; Studium in Königsberg und Göttingen; Promotion in Geschichte und Theologie; verschiedene Lehr- und Forschungsaufträge; Projektleiter "Staupitz" an der Universität Tübingen; Professor am Lehrstuhl für Mittelalterliche Geschichte der TU Darmstadt; zugleich Honorarprofessor für Ev. Kirchengeschichte an der Universität Frankfurt/Main; Emeritus.