![Book Cover of The Smalcald Articles](/image/book/the-smalcald-articles.webp)
The Smalcald Articles
'The Smalcald Articles' Summary
Luther's patron, Elector John Frederick of Saxony, asked him to prepare these articles for the Schmalkaldic League's meeting in 1537, held again in Schmalkalden. The League had been organized in 1531 as a union of various Lutheran territories and cities, to provide a united military and political front against Roman Catholic politicians and armies, led by Emperor Charles V.
When the Schmalkaldic League met, Luther was taken very ill with a severe case of kidney stones and so was unable to attend the meeting. The league ultimately determined not to adopt the articles Luther had written. They were influenced not to adopt the Smalcald Articles by Philipp Melanchthon, who was concerned that Luther's writing would be regarded as divisive by some. Melanchthon was asked to write a clear statement on the papacy and this he did, a document that was adopted at the meeting as the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope.
In the Smalcald Articles, Luther summarized what he regarded to be the most important teaching in Christianity. The Articles were highly prized by John Frederick who ordered that they be made a part of his last will and testament. And though they were not adopted at the meeting of the Schmalkaldic League in 1537, most of the theologians present at that meeting subscribed to it. Parts of Hesse accepted them as confessional writing in 1544 and in the 1550s, the Smalcald Articles were used authoritatively by many Gnesio-Lutherans as well as being incorporated into “corpora doctrinae” during the following 20 years. In 1580, it was accepted as a confessional document in the Book of Concord.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
GermanPublished In
1537Author
![Martin Luther image](/thumbs/image/author/martin-luther.webp)
Martin Luther
Holy Roman Empire
Martin Luther was a German professor of theology, priest, author, composer, Augustinian monk, and a seminal figure in the Reformation. Luther was ordained to the priesthood in 1507. He came to reject...
More on Martin LutherDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
![The Faith of Our Fathers Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-faith-of-our-fathers.webp)
The Faith of Our Fathers by James Gibbons
The Faith of Our Fathers: a Plain Exposition and Vindication of the Church Founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ is a book by archbishop James Gibbons whic...
![The Treasury of David, Vol. 7 Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-treasury-of-david-vol-7-abridged.webp)
The Treasury of David, Vol. 7 by Charles H. Spurgeon
Dive into a transcendent literary journey through the Psalms like never before with "The Treasury of David, Vol. 7 (Abridged)" by the eminent preacher...
![Institutes of the Christian Religion, Books 1-4 (Allen Translation) Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/institutes-of-the-christian-religion-books-1-4-allen-translation.webp)
Institutes of the Christian Religion, Books 1-4 (Allen Translation) by John Calvin
The book is structured as a systematic exploration of Christian doctrine, covering topics such as the nature of God, the role of the Bible in Christia...
![A Booke of Christian Questions and Answers Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/a-booke-of-christian-questions-and-answers.webp)
A Booke of Christian Questions and Answers by Theodore Beza
Dive into the depths of Christian faith and knowledge with "A Booke of Christian Questions and Answers" by Theodore Beza, a compelling compilation of...
![The Extant Works of St. Pacian of Barcelona Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-extant-works-of-st-pacian-of-barcelona.webp)
The Extant Works of St. Pacian of Barcelona by Pacian of Barcelona
Pacian, Bishop of Barcelona in the Pyrenees, of chastened eloquence, eminent for his life as for his writings, wrote various works, of which is the Ce...
![Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/devotions-upon-emergent-occasions.webp)
Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions by John Donne
Devotions upon Emergent Occasions, or in full Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, and severall steps in my Sicknes, is a prose work by the English meta...
![Garcia Moreno, President of Ecuador 1821-1875 Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/garcia-moreno-president-of-ecuador-1821-1875.webp)
Garcia Moreno, President of Ecuador 1821-1875 by Augustine Berthe
Gabriel Gregorio Fernando José María García y Moreno y Morán de Buitrón (1821–1875) was an Ecuadorian politician who twice served as President of Ecua...
![The Marvels of Divine Grace Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-marvels-of-divine-grace.webp)
The Marvels of Divine Grace by Alice Lovat
These are Alice Lady Lovat's meditations on the treatise "Del Aprecio y Estima de la Divina Gracia," written by the prolific Roman Catholic theologian...
![With Christ in the School of Prayer Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/with-christ-in-the-school-of-prayer.webp)
With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray
“We have become so accustomed to limit the wonderful love and the large promises of our God, that we cannot read the simplest and clearest statements...
![Mormonism and Masonry Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/mormonism-and-masonry.webp)
Mormonism and Masonry by Samuel H. Goodwin
The edition of the book published in 1921 explored extensively the reasons why Mormons were not accepted ("are" at the time of publication) into the M...
Reviews for The Smalcald Articles
No reviews posted or approved, yet...