Luther at Leipzig: Martin Luther, the Leipzig Debate, and the Sixteenth-Century Reformations ed. by Mickey L. Mattox et al.

Abstract

Reviewed by: Luther at Leipzig: Martin Luther, the Leipzig Debate, and the Sixteenth-Century Reformations ed. by Mickey L. Mattox et al. Gordon A. Jensen Luther at Leipzig: Martin Luther, the Leipzig Debate, and the Sixteenth-Century Reformations. Edited by Mickey L. Mattox, Richard J. Serina, Jr. and Jonathan Mumme. Studies in Medieval and Reformation Traditions, volume 218. Leiden: Brill, 2019. 348 pp. The Leipzig debate of 1519 has often been overlooked as an important turning point in studies of the Wittenberg Reformation, caught as it is between the posting of the Ninety-Five Theses in [End Page 243] 1517 and Luther's defining Reformation treatises of 1520. The three editors of this book bring together a brilliant collection of essays that recognizes the importance of the Leipzig debate and its implications for the Reformation. In the book's first section, the contributors deal with the debate in its historical context. Essays in the second section discuss the implications of the debate. In the opening chapter, the volume's overarching claim is spelled out, namely, that the Leipzig debate is a crucial turning point in the Reformation. This debate reveals the transition from the Wittenberg focus on scripture, grace, and repentance, as emphasized by Andreas Karlstadt, to Rome's concern about threats to the authority in the church, as brought to the fore by Johannes Eck. In reaction to Eck's claims about papal authority, the events at Leipzig laid the foundation for the protestant scripture principle as delineated by Philip Melanchthon. The tremors felt at the Leipzig debate would lead to a theological earthquake that capitalized on the long-standing, persistent fault lines of conciliar versus papal authority. The subsequent chapters in the first section explore Karlstadt's correspondence with Eck before and after the debate, the protocol for academic debates in the late medieval era which governed the conversations in Leipzig, and the background of Rome's aversion to any council or public platform that challenged papal authority. Also included are chapters on the medieval understanding of the authority, expectations, and duties of scholars in arguing points of scripture, and the clash between scholars of canon law and theology regarding authority. Each chapter contributes to a more thorough understanding of the nuances of the debate. The contributions in the second section, focusing on the implications of the debate, are equally stimulating. The first essay offers a study of how Melanchthon was proactive in promoting his version of the event. The following article examines how Leipzig challenged papal authority vis-à-vis scripture, thus moving away from the original agenda of discussing justification, forgiveness and grace. At the center of attention was the statement of what, or who the "rock" refers to in Matthew 16:19. Subsequent chapters explore the shift in [End Page 244] how Luther viewed Jan Hus and how this relationship influenced how others viewed the charges of heresy later levied against Luther, as well as how it forced Luther to re-evaluate the importance of church councils after the Council of Nicea, as he increasingly become suspicious of later councils. Consequently, Luther's ecclesiology also evolved. It is not a surprise then, that the final chapter explores the immediate and consequent Catholic reception of the Leipzig debate, for it is a voice that Luther scholars do not always hear. The book concludes with a fresh, and helpful new translation of relevant excerpts of the proceedings at Leipzig. There are two main strengths to this fine contribution to Reformation studies. First, the authors and editors provide cutting-edge scholarship in an easily accessible manner. Second, this volume, despite being a collection of essays, exhibits a remarkable integrity. The editors have done an excellent job arranging the chapters to maximize the seamless flow of ideas. They have made a convincing case that the Leipzig debates laid down some foundations on which later Reformation developments were based, and give valuable insight into the reason the debates and the evolving agenda of the Reformation are still not clearly understood today. It is one of those stimulating and challenging volumes that are a delight to read and then revisit. Gordon A. Jensen Lutheran Theological Seminary Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Copyright © 2021 Johns...