Transformationen

Collected in this volume are several of Volker Leppin's essays from the past fifteen years. They cover ground ranging from the conflicts over Aristotle in the 13th century to the negative as well as positive reception of Martin Luther during the 16th century. As a whole, they provide a picture of late medieval to early modern times which depicts the Reformation as being less of a break with established theology, piety and the church, and more of a transformation of the existing. What is new about it, is able to be explained through the handling of traditions. At the centre stand the so-called Sola of Reformation Theology: Solus Christus, sola gratia, sola fide and sola scriptura. The more these concepts gained in exclusivity, the more distinctively there developed a reformatory profile, which nevertheless remained rooted in mysticism, piety, as well as scholasticism and humanism.