Close friend and partner of Martin Luther and the person most instrumental in systematizing Luther's theology.
Born into a well-educated family, and originally names Philipp Schwarzerd ('Black Earth'), Melanchthon was intellectually brilliant even from young, being admitted into the University of Heidelberg at the age of twelve. At the age of 15 he had done everything needed, and done so very well, to earn an MA, the university refused to graduate him because he was considered too young. He transferred to the University of Tubingen where he continued to study but also to write. By 1514 he had already written a preface to the book of Romans. In 1518 he published his Greek grammar.
Encouraged by his uncle, Reuchlin, Melanchthon moved to Wittenberg, and there begun a lifelong friendship and partnership with Luther. Luther was not a systematic thinker or writer and it was Melanchthon who took on the task of codifying Luther's theology in a systematic fashion, and revising many of his commentaries, and providing a moderating influence on the reformer's polemics. In 1521 Melanchthon published his Loci Communes, the first great book, and systematic theology, of the Reformation. The Augsburg Confession of 1530 was also almost entirely written by him. Melanchthon also lectured at the University of Wittenberg, his course sometimes attracting as many as 2,000 at a time.
But Melanchthon was beginning to have doubts and difficulties with Luther's theology, particularly on the Eucharist (Melanchthon was moving more towards the Reformed view) and on the issue of the place of the will in salvation (Melanchthon was moving in the direction of synergism). These rethinking began to appear in the second edition of Loci Communes, published in 1535. If Luther felt that Melanchthon had undermined him, he said nothing about it. Melanchthon was not a great leader but he was able to reach out to many church and public figures such as Oecolampadius, Bucer, Calvin, and even King Henry VIII, Francis I of France, and the patriarch of Constantinople. His moderation, however, led to the diminishment of his reputation as a person who was too eager to compromise.
Further Reading:
Kurt Aland, Four Reformers: Luther, Melancthon, Calvin, Zwingli. Augsburg: MPLS, 1979.
Francis Cox, The Life of Philip Melancthon: Comprising an Account of the Most Important Transactions of the Reformation. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger, 2006.
C. Manschreck, Melanchthon: the quiet reformer.
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