Ordination in Wittenberg

Martin Krarup traces the history of the Lutheran ordination in Wittenberg, ranging from Martin Luther's criticism of the Roman ordination in 1520 to its introduction in Wittenberg in 1535, and examines the development of the procedure up to the mid-forties. The author shows that Luther had already carried out ordinations several times during the 1520s. One of the main reasons why ordination was not made obligatory until 1535 was that disputes about a Lutheran ordination would have made an agreement with Rome more difficult. From the reformers' point of view, the ordination was not a necessary prerequisite for the ministerial office, as several cases demonstrate. When it was finally introduced in 1535, its main purposes were to ensure that potential ministers were examined by ordained theologians and to strengthen the ministers' position among the people. Since the ordination was performed at a central location and was not linked to an appointment to a specific place, it had lifelong validity.