Potestates und ministerium publicum

In this study, Christopher Voigt-Goy first deals with the history of the problem of the concept of an ecclesiastical office in the Middle Ages, ranging from the Decretum Gratiana to Gabriel Biel. The varying interpretations of the concept of the powers of an ecclesiastical office (potestates) serve as a guideline for his reconstruction. He then studies the way in which Martin Luther used the traditional concepts and categories. Even in his early lectures Luther demonstrated an unconventional approach to the problem of medieval clerical theology. The »spiritualizing nature« of Luther's concept of the ecclesiastical office and the church which emerged from this was not superseded by the public office (of preaching) until 1523, when Luther set his teachings on the office and the church on a steadier institutional course.