RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Meier
mejer
Melanchthon, Philipp
in the discovery of the thirteen letters of Ignatius in Armenian translation and of the commentary of Ephraem Syrus on the Gospel Harmony (of Tatian?). The institution in Venice has great influence even with Armenians not in the Roman Catholic Church, and branches in other lands — Turkey, Russia, France, Austria, and Hungary — have added to its wealth and prestige. Especially notable among these is the branch in Vienna, planted there in 1810, the printing-department of which has contributed largely to the spread of knowledge in the home country. The mother house is now the goal of all modern scholars who desire an intimate knowledge of Armenian language and literature. (K. KesslerI-.)
Bibliography: E. Bore, Saint Lazare, ou hist, de la societi religieuse armenienne de Mechitar, Venice, 1835; idem, Le Couvent de S. Lazare a Venise, Paris, 1837; S. Somalian, Quadro della storia letteraria di Armenia, Venice, 1829; C. F. Neumann, Versuch einer Geschichte der armenischen Litteratur, Leipsic, 1836; Windischmann, in TQ, 1835, part 1, cf. 1846, pp. 527 sqq.; Le Vaillant de Florival, Les Mekhitaristes de S. Lazare, Venice, 1856; V. Langlois, The Armenian Monastery of St. Lazarus — Venice, Venice, 1874; P. A. Hennemann, Das Kloster der armenischen Monche auf der Insel St. Lazzaro, ib. 1881; A. Mayer, Die Mechitaristenbuchdruckerei, Vienna, 1888; F. Scherer, Die Mechitaristen in Wien, ib. 1892; K. Kalemkiarian, Skizze der literarisch-typographischen Thatigkeit der Mechitaristen Congregation in Wien, ib. 1898; S. Weber, Die katholische Kirche in Armenien, Freiburg, 1903; KL, viii. 1122-37. Some of the literature given under Armenia will be found pertinent. Consult also Heimbucher, Orden und Kongregationen, i. 313-319.
I. Life.
Education (§1). Professor at Wittenberg (§ 2). Theological Disputes (§3). Augsburg Confession (§ 4). Discussions on Lord's Supper and
Justification (§5). Relations with Luther (§6).
MELANCHTHON, PHILIPP.
Controversies with Flacius (§ 7). Disputes with Osiander and Flacius
(§8). Death (§ 9). II. Estimate of His Works and Character. Luther and Melanchthon (§ 1). His Work as Reformer (§ 2). As Scholar (§ 3).
I. Life: Philipp Melanchthon, the German humanist and Reformer, was born at Bretten (13 m. e.n.e. of Carlsruhe) Feb. 16, 1497, and died at Wittenberg Apr. 19, 1560. His father, Georg Schwarzerd, was armorer to Count Palatine Philip. Melanchthon received his first instruction in the school of his native city; he then had a private tutor, Johann Unger, in the house of his grandfather. In 1507 he was sent to the i. Educa- Latin school at Pforzheim, the rector tion. of which, Georg Simler of Wimpfen, introduced him to the study of the Latin and Greek poets and of the philosophy of Aristotle. But he was chiefly influenced by his great-uncle, Johann Reuchlin, the great representative of humanism, who advised him to change his family name, Schwarzerd, into the Greek equivalent Melanchthon. Not yet thirteen years old, he entered in 1509 the University of Heidelberg where he studied philosophy, rhetoric, and astronomy, and was known as a good Greek scholar. As the lectures of the university did not satisfy him, he diligently read in private grammar, rhetoric, dialectics, and the ancient poets and historians. Being refused the degree of master in 1512 on account of his youth, he went to Tubingen, where he pursued humanistic and philosophical studies, but devoted himself also to the study of jurisprudence, mathematics, astronomy, and even of medicine. When, having completed his philosophical course, he had taken the degree of master in 1516, he began to study theology. Under the influence of men like Reuchlin and Erasmus he became convinced that true Christianity was something quite different from scholastic theology as it was taught at the university. But at that time he had not yet formed fixed opinions on theology, since later he often called Luther his spiritual father. He became conventor (repetent) in the contubernium and had to instruct younger scholars. He also lectured on oratory, on Vergil and Livy.
As Theologian (§ 4).
As Moralist (§ 5).
As Exegete (§ 6).
As Historian and Preacher (§ 7).
As Professor and Philosopher (§ 8).
Personal Appearance and Character
(§9). His Fame (§ 10).
His first publications were an edition of Terence (1516) and his Greek grammar (1518), but he had written previously the preface to the Epistolw clarorum virorum of Reuchlin (1514).
The more strongly he felt the opposition of the scholastic party to the reforms instituted by him at the University of Tubingen, the more willingly he followed a call to Wittenberg as pro- 2. Professor fessor of Greek, where he aroused great at Witten- admiration by his inaugural De corriberg. gendis adolescerdice studiis. He lectured before five to six hundred students, afterward to fifteen hundred. He was highly esteemed by Luther, whose influence brought him to the study of Scripture, especially of Paul, and so to a more living knowledge of the Evangelical doctrine of salvation. He was present at the disputation of Leipsic (1519) as a spectator, but influenced the discussion by his comments and suggestions, so that he gave Eck an excuse for an attack. In his Defensio contra Johannem Eckium ([Wittenberg,] 1519) he had already clearly developed the principles of the authority of Scripture and its interpretation. On account of the interest in theology shown in his lectures on Matthew and Romans, together with his investigations into the doctrines of Paul, he was granted the degree of bachelor of theology, and was transferred to the theological faculty. Soon he was bound closer than ever to Wittenberg by his marriage to Katharina Krapp, the mayor's daughter, a marriage contracted at his friends' urgent request, and especially Luther's (Nov. 25, 1520).
In the beginning of 1521 in his Didymi Faventini adversus Thomam Placentinum pro M. Luthero oratio (Wittenberg, n.d.), he defended Luther by proving that Luther rejected only papal and ecclesiastical practises which were at variance with Scripture, but not true philosophy and true Christianity. But while Luther was absent at the Wartburg, during the disturbances caused by the Zwickau
Melanchthon, Philipp