Seminar 5-7 December, Melanchthon as the second reformer

09-09-2011

Melanchthon's position as the second reformer is subject to quite varied assessments. This seminar focuses on two crucial themes of reformation theology: Human freedom and Pauline exegesis. Melanchthon's differing descriptions of the character of human freedom reflects the complexity of the matter. New approaches to Melanchthon's understanding of the human can deepen our understanding of Melanchthon as theologian.

At the University of Wittenberg, Melanchthon was the one responsible for lectures on the New Testament, whereas Luther's chief responsibility was the Hebrew Scriptures, so that only occasionally did he lecture on the Pauline letters. In the Luther-Paul-debate that has been going on for more than two decades, Melanchthon is almost completely overlooked. This seminar will help to bring Melanchthon‟s contribution to Pauline exegesis into focus.

This seminar gathers leading international scholars for a discussion on these two important themes for both historical and contemporary theology. The seminar has been organized for the research group Reformation Theology, Aarhus University by Bo Kristian Holm, Aarhus and Theodor Dieter, Strasbourg/Aarhus in collaboration with Timothy J. Wengert, Philadelphia, USA and Anne Eusterschulte, Berlin. Refo500 partner: Freie Universität, Berlin.

No participation fee. Participants are supposed to take care of their own board and lodging. Please register in advance by October 15, 2011 by sending an email to Bo Holm.

Call for papers
Participants are invited to send proposals for papers dealing with themes related to the main subject. Please write whether your proposal is a paper or a presentation of PhD-project or parts thereof. Please send your proposal (max 500 words) to Bo Holm by October 1, 2011.

More information will be made available at the website of Aarhus Univesity.

Preliminary programme

Monday Dec. 5: Introduction
- Timothy Wengert, Philadelphia: 'Melanchthon as the second reformer: How to deal with reformation variations' I
- Bo Kristian Holm, Aarhus: 'Melanchthon as the second reformer: How to deal with reformation variations' II
Melanchthon on Human Freedom
- Theodor Dieter, Strassbourg/Aarhus: 'What does Martin Luther mean when he uses the notion 'free will'?'
- Risto Saarinen, Helsinki: 'Free will and week will in Melanchthon'
- Anne Eusterschulte, Berlin: 'Free will in Melanchthon. Theological and Philosophical Perspectives'

Tuesday Dec. 6: Melanchthon on Human Freedom
- Timothy Wengert: 'Developing Arguments on Free Choice in Philip Melanchthon's Second Edition of the Loci communes (1533-1535)'
- Bo Kristian Holm: 'Hauptartikel christlicher Lehre (1553) as the 'fourth loci' – Christology and human freedom in the late German Loci.'
- Programme open for PhD presentations

Wednesday Dec. 7: Melanchthon and Paul
- Theodor Dieter: 'Melanchthon‟s Commentary on Romans 7 with a sidelong glance at Luther‟s Commentary on the Same'
- Response by Bo Holm
- Timothy Wengert: 'Philip Melanchthon's 1556 Enarratio ad Romanos and the Meaning of Iustificatio'
- Response by New Testament scholar Jan Dochhorn, Aarhus
- General discussion: Scripture, Tradition, and the Excess of Meaning

Click here for more information and registration.

 

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