A useful glossary of late medieval theological terms may be found in Heiko A. Oberman, The Harvest of Medieval Theology: Gabriel Biel and Late Medieval Nominalism. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2001, 459–76. Glossaries of terms relating to the doctrine of justification may be found in Alister E. McGrath, Iustitia Dei: A History of the Christian Doctrine of Justification 4^th ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020, pp. 417–19.

Adiaphora Literally, “matters of indifference.” Beliefs or practices which the Reformers regarded as being tolerable, in that they were neither explicitly rejected nor stipulated by Scripture. For example, what ministers wore at church services was often regarded as a “matter of indifference.” The concept is of importance in that it allowed the Reformers to adopt a pragmatic approach to many beliefs and practices, thus avoiding unnecessary confrontation.

Anabaptism Literally, “re-baptizer.” A term used to refer to the radical wing of the Reformation, based on thinkers such as Menno Simons or Balthasar Hubmaier. See p. 0.

Anti-Pelagian writings The writings of Augustine relating to the Pelagian controversy, in which he defended his views on grace and justification. See “Pelagianism.”

Apostolic era For humanists and reformers alike, the definitive period of the Christian church, bounded by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (c.35) and the death of the last apostle (c.90?). The ideas and practices of this period were widely regarded as normative in humanist and reforming circles.

Augustinianism A term used in two major senses. First, it refers to the specific views of Augustine of Hippo concerning the doctrine of salvation, in which the need for divine grace is stressed (see pp. 82–4). In this sense, the term is the antithesis of Pelagianism. Second, it is used to refer to the body of opinion within the Augustinian Order during the Middle Ages, irrespective of whether these views derive from Augustine or not.

Calvinism An ambiguous term, used with two quite distinct meanings. First, it refers to the religious ideas of religious bodies (such as the Reformed church) and individuals (such as Theodore Beza) who were profoundly influenced by John Calvin or by documents written by him. Second, it refers to the religious ideas of John Calvin himself. Although the first sense is by far the more common, there is a growing recognition that the term is misleading. See p. 6.

Catechism A popular manual of Christian doctrine, usually in the form of question and answer, intended for religious instruction. With its considerable emphasis upon religious education, the Reformation saw the appearance of a number of major catechisms, most notably Luther’s Lesser Catechism (1529) and the celebrated Heidelberg Catechism (1563) (see pp. 270–2).

Christology The section of Christian theology dealing with the identity of Jesus Christ, particularly the question of the relation of his human and divine natures. Apart from a disagreement between Luther and Zwingli at Marburg in 1529, Christology, like the doctrine of the Trinity, was not debated extensively during the Reformation.

Cinquecènto The 1500s – i.e. the sixteenth century. See p. 44.

Confession Although the term refers primarily to the admission of sin, it acquired a rather different technical sense in the sixteenth century – that of a document which embodies the principles of faith of a Protestant church. Thus the Augsburg Confession (1530) embodies the ideas of early Lutheranism, and the First Helvetic Confession (1536) those of the early Reformed church. The terms “Confessionalism” and “Confessionalization” are often used to refer to the hardening of religious attitudes in the later sixteenth century, as the Lutheran and Reformed churches became involved in a struggle for social influence, especially in Germany.

Donatism A breakaway religious movement, based in Roman North Africa during the late fourth century, which stressed the need for purity and holiness on the part of church members and leaders. Donatism insisted that the church was a community of saints, rather than, as Augustine taught, a mixed body of the righteous and evil. The Donatist controversy raised the question, which re-emerged at the time of the Reformation, of how the mainstream church could be reformed, without the need to form splinter groups.

Ecclesiology The section of Christian theology dealing with the theory of the church (Greek ekklesia = “church”). At the time of the Reformation, controversy centered upon the question of whether the Protestant churches could be regarded as continuous with mainstream Christianity – in other words, were they a reformed version of Christianity or something completely new, having little or no connection with the previous 1,500 years of Christian history?

Evangelical A term used to refer to the nascent reforming movements, especially in Germany and Switzerland, in the 1510s and 1520s. The term was later replaced by “Protestant” in the aftermath of the Second Diet of Speyer.

Evangeliques A term often used to refer to the French reforming movement, especially in the 1520s and 1530s, centering upon figures such as Marguerite of Navarre and Guillaume Briçonnet.

Evangelism A term often used in English-language scholarship to refer to the Italian reforming movement in the period 1511–45, centering upon figures such as Gasparo Contarini and Reginald Pole.

Exegesis The science of textual interpretation, usually referring specifically to the Bible. The term “biblical exegesis” basically means “the process of interpreting the Bible.” See pp. 131–4. The specific techniques employed in the exegesis of Scripture are usually referred to as “hermeneutics.”

Fathers An alternative term for “patristic writers.”

Hermeneutics The principles underlying the interpretation, or exegesis, of a text, particularly of Scripture. The first phase of the Reformation witnessed the development of a number of ways of interpreting Scripture, deriving from both humanism and scholasticism. Zwingli initially used a hermeneutical scheme deriving from Erasmian humanism, and Luther a scheme deriving from scholastic theology. See pp. 131–4.

Humanism A complex movement, linked with the European Renaissance, discussed in detail in Chapter 3. At the heart of the movement lay not (as the modern sense of the word might suggest) a set of secular or secularizing ideas, but a new interest in the cultural achievements of antiquity. These were seen as a major resource for the renewal of European culture and Christianity during the period of the Renaissance. The impact of humanism upon Reformation thought is considerable, and is discussed in detail at pp. 43–71.

Justification by faith, doctrine of The section of Christian theology dealing with how the individual sinner is able to enter into fellowship with God. See pp. 150–61. Although of major importance to Martin Luther and his colleagues at Wittenberg, the doctrine was initially of relatively little interest to the Swiss reformers, such as Zwingli. See pp. 161–4.

Liturgy The written text of public services, especially of the eucharist. As liturgy was predetermined by theology in the Reformation, the reform of the liturgy was regarded as being of particular importance.

Lutheranism The religious ideas associated with Martin Luther, particularly as expressed in the Lesser Catechism (1529) and the Augsburg Confession (1530). A series of internal disagreements within Lutheranism after Luther’s death (1546) between hardliners (the so-called “Gnesio-Lutherans” or “Flacianists”) and moderates (“Philippists”) led to their resolution by the Formula of Concord (1577), which is usually regarded as the authoritative statement of Lutheran theology.

Magisterial Reformation A term used to refer to the Lutheran and Reformed wings of the Reformation, as opposed to the radical wing (Anabaptism). See pp. 3–4.

Nominalism Strictly speaking, the philosophical theory of knowledge opposed to realism. The term is, however, still encountered in some older scholarly writings to refer to the theological and philosophical views of the via moderna. See pp. 79–81.

Patristic An adjective used to refer to the first centuries in the history of the church, following the writing of the New Testament (the “patristic period”) or thinkers writing during this period (the “patristic writers”). For the reformers, the period thus designated seems to be c.100–451 (in other words, the period between the closing of the New Testament and the Council of Chalcedon). The reformers tended to regard the New Testament and, to a lesser extent, the patristic periods as normative for Christian belief and practice. The term “early Christian” is now preferred to “patristic” – for example, “early Christian writers” or “early Christian theologians.”

Pelagianism An understanding of how humans are able to merit their salvation which is diametrically opposed to that of Augustine of Hippo and places considerable emphasis upon the role of human works and plays down the idea of divine grace. See pp. 86–8.

Protestantism A term used in the aftermath of the Diet of Speyer (1529) to designate those who “protested” (Latin: protestantes) against the practices and beliefs of the Roman Catholic church. Prior to 1529, such individuals and groups had referred to themselves as “evangelicals.”

Quattrocènto The 1400s – i.e. the fifteenth century. See p. 44.

Radical Reformation A term used with increasing frequency to refer to the Anabaptist movement – in other words, the wing of the Reformation which went beyond what Luther and Zwingli envisaged. See pp. 7–9.

Sacrament In purely descriptive terms, a church service or rite which was held to have been instituted by Jesus Christ himself. Although medieval theology and church practice recognized seven such sacraments, the reformers argued that only two (baptism and eucharist) were to be found in the New Testament itself. The theory of the sacraments proved intensely divisive, with the reformers unable to reach agreement among themselves concerning what the sacraments actually achieved. See pp. 199–204 for further discussion.

Schism A deliberate break with the unity of the church, condemned vigorously by influential writers of the early church, such as Cyprian and Augustine. The reformers were branded as “schismatics” by their opponents. The reformers thus found themselves in the difficult situation of upholding Augustine’s views on grace, but disregarding his views on schism.

Schola Augustiniana moderna A form of late medieval scholasticism which laid emphasis upon Augustine’s doctrine of grace, while adopting a nominalist position on the question of universals. See pp. 86–8.

Scotism The scholastic philosophy associated with Duns Scotus. See p. 80.

Scripture Principle The theory, especially associated with Reformed theologians, that the practices and beliefs of the church should be grounded in Scripture. Nothing that could not be demonstrated to be grounded in Scripture could be regarded as binding upon the believer. The phrase sola scriptura (“by Scripture alone”) is often used as a summary of this principle. See pp. 123–6.

Septuagint The Greek translation of the Old Testament, dating from the third century BCE.

Sermon on the Mount The standard way of referring to Christ’s moral and pastoral teaching in the specific form which it takes in chapters 5–7 of Matthew’s gospel.

Sodality A term used generally to refer to the humanist groups associated with many northern European cities and universities in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. For example, the sodalitas Collimitiana at Vienna focusing on Georg Collimitius, and the sodalitas Staupitziana at Nuremberg which gathered around Johannes von Staupitz.

Soteriology The section of Christian theology dealing with the doctrine of salvation (Greek: soteria).

Thomism The scholastic philosophy associated with Thomas Aquinas. See p. 80.

Transubstantiation The medieval doctrine according to which the bread and the wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ in the eucharist, while retaining their outward appearance. See pp. 227–9.

Trecènto The 1300s – i.e. the fourteenth century. See p. 44.

Turmerlebnis A German term, literally meaning “tower experience,” often used to designate Luther’s moment of breakthrough. See p. 150. In a later (slightly confused) reference, Luther mentions that his theological breakthrough took place in a tower of the Augustinian monastery at Wittenberg – hence the reference to the “tower.”

Via antiqua A term used to designate forms of scholastic philosophy, such as Thomism and Scotism, which adopted a realist position on the question of universals. See pp. 80.

Via moderna A term used broadly in two senses. First, forms of scholastic philosophy which adopted a nominalist position on the question of universals, in opposition to the realism of the via antiqua. Second, and more important, the form of scholasticism (formerly known as “Nominalism”) based upon the writings of William of Ockham and his followers, such as Pierre d’Ailly and Gabriel Biel. See pp. 84–6.

Vulgate The Latin translation of the Bible, largely deriving from Jerome, upon which medieval theology was largely based. Strictly speaking, “Vulgate” designates Jerome’s translation of the Old Testament (except the Psalms, which were taken from the Gallican Psalter), the apocryphal works (except Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, 1 and 2 Maccabees, and Baruch, which were taken from the Old Latin Version), and all the New Testament. The recognition of its many inaccuracies was of fundamental importance to the Reformation. See pp. 119–20.

Zwinglianism The term is used generally to refer to the thought of Huldrych Zwingli, but is also often used specifically to refer to his views on the sacraments, especially on the “real presence” (which for Zwingli was more of a ‘real absence’). See pp. 214–16.

John Calvin

Calvin’s most important work is the 1559 edition of the Institutes of the Christian Religion. This is available in a number of English translations, of which the two following are particularly recommended:

Institutes of the Christian Religion, trans. Henry Beveridge. 2 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1999.

Institutes of the Christian Religion, ed. J. T. McNeill, trans. Ford Lewis Battles. 2 vols. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1960.

The 1536 edition of the Institutes is also available in English translation: Institution of the Christian Religion, trans. F. L. Battles. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1959.

Many of Calvin’s remaining works, particularly his tracts and New Testament commentaries, were translated into English by the Calvin Translation Society during the nineteenth century:

Calvin’s Tracts, 3 vols. Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1844–51.

Calvin’s Commentaries, 47 vols. Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1843–59.

A new translation of the New Testament commentaries is also available:

Calvin’s Commentaries, ed. D. W. Torrance and T. F. Torrance. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1993.

The following translations should also be noted:

Calvin’s Commentary on Seneca’s ‘De Clementia’, ed. F. L. Battles and A. M. Hugo. Leiden: Brill, 1969.

John Calvin and Jacopo Sadoleto: A Reformation Debate. Sadoleto’s Letter to the Genevans and Calvin’s Reply. New York: Fordham University Press, 2000.

Jean Calvin: Three French Treatises, ed. F. H. Higman. London: Athlone Press, 1970.

Calvin’s Theological Treatises, ed. J. K. S. Reid. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1959.

Most older English translations of Calvin’s works are now readily available on the web: see, for example, the impressive range of resources provided by the H. Henry Meeter Center at Calvin University:

https://calvin.edu/centers-institutes/meeter-center/resources/john-calvins-works-in-english

Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam

The most comprehensive English edition of Erasmus’ works is The Collected Works of Erasmus (81 vols; Toronto, 1969–2017). This is the definitive English-language edition of Erasmus. The following are of particular interest to the historian of the Reformation: The correspondence (vols 1–22), especially letters 993–1251 (vols 7–8), which deal with the period 1519–21, during which the “Lutherana tragoedia” began to dominate Erasmus’ concerns; and the New Testament Scholarship (vols 41–60), which did much to lay the intellectual foundations of the Reformation. These volumes should be read in conjunction with Erika Rummel, Erasmus’ Annotations on the New Testament: From Philologist to Theologian. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1986.

Martin Luther

The most widely used English translation of Luther’s works is the so-called American edition: Luther’s Works (55 vols; St. Louis/Philadelphia, 1955–75). In addition to a companion volume, this edition includes most of Luther’s exegetical works (vols 1–30), as well as tracts, sermons, and political writings (vols 31–54). The exegetical works are arranged in the order in which the scriptural books are found in the Bible, rather than in the order in which Luther wrote them.

A useful anthology is Martin Luther: Selections from his Writings, ed. John Dillenberger. New York: Anchor, 1962. Luther’s three “Reformation treatises” of 1520 are conveniently collected together in Three Treatises. Philadelphia, PA: Augsburg Fortress, 1973.

Huldrych Zwingli

The most complete English translation to date is the three volumes of The Latin Works of Huldreich Zwingli, as follows:

The Latin Works and Correspondence of Huldreich Zwingli, vol. I: 1510–1522, ed. S. M. Jackson. New York: Putnams, 1912; now reprinted by Wipf & Stock.

The Latin Works of Huldreich Zwingli, vol. II, ed. W. J. Hinke. Philadelphia, PA, 1922; reprinted as Zwingli on Providence and Other Essays. Durham, NC: Labyrinth Press, 1983.

The Latin Works of Huldreich Zwingli, vol. III, ed. C. N. Heller. Philadelphia, PA, 1929; reprinted as Commentary on True and False Religion. Durham, NC: Labyrinth Press, 1981.

These have been supplemented by:

Huldrych Zwingli Writings: The Defense of the Reformed Faith, ed. E. J. Furcha. Allison Park, PA: Pickwick Publications, 1984.

Huldrych Zwingli Writings: In Search of True Religion, ed. H. Wayne Pipkin. Allison Park, PA: Pickwick Publications, 1984.

Two other collections are worth noting:

The Selected Works of Huldrych Zwingli, ed. S. M. Jackson (Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1901; reprinted 1972).

Zwingli and Bullinger, ed. G. W. Bromiley. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1953.

Primary Sources

The reader will find it helpful to read these notes in conjunction with Appendixes 2 and 4.

CR Corpus Reformatorum (Berlin/Leipzig/Zurich, 1834–). The standard edition of the works of Melanchthon (vols 1–28), Calvin (vols 29–87), and Zwingli (vols 88–). The Calvin section is sometimes (confusingly) referred to as OC. See notes on Calvin and Zwingli in Appendix 4.

Note that Calvin’s works opera quae supersunt omnia are now available online at the University of Geneva:

https://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:650

CWE Complete Works of Erasmus (Toronto, 1969–). This series, which is still in progress, has become the standard English translation of Erasmus’ works.

EE Erasmi Epistolae, ed. P. S. Allen (Oxford, 1905–58). The standard edition of Erasmus’ correspondence.

LB Desiderii Erasmi Opera Omnia, ed. J. LeClerc (Leiden, 1703–06; reprinted London, 1962). The Leiden (Lugduni Batavorum) edition of Erasmus’ works.

LCC Library of Christian Classics (London/Philadelphia, 1953–). Includes useful translations of Bucer, Zwingli and Melanchthon, as well as of Calvin’s 1559 Institutes.

LW Luther’s Works, ed. Jaroslav Pelikan and Helmut Lehmann (55 vols; St. Louis/Philadelphia, 1955–75). The “American edition” of Luther’s works in English translation.

OC Opera Calvini. An alternative, and somewhat confusing, reference to the Calvin section of Corpus Reformatorum: see CR.

OS Opera Selecta Ioannis Calvini, ed. Peter Barth (5 vols; Munich, 1926–36). A useful critical edition of Calvin’s major works, including both the 1536 and 1559 editions of the Institutes.

S Huldrich Zwingli’s Werke, ed. M. Schuler and J. Schulthess (8 vols; Zurich, 1828–42). The first edition of Zwingli’s works, now replaced by the Corpus Reformatorum edition.

SS An alternative abbreviation for the Schuler–Shulthess edition of Zwingli’s works: see S.

WA D. Martin Luthers Werke: Kritische Gesamtausgabe, ed. J. K. F. Knaake, G. Kawerau et al. (Weimar, 1883–). The definitive “Weimar edition” of Luther’s works, which also includes his correspondence (WABr), his German Bible (WADB) and his “Table-Talk” (WATr).

WABr D. Martin Luthers Werke: Briefwechsel (15 vols; Weimar, 1930–78). The correspondence section of the Weimar edition of Luther’s works.

WADB D. Martin Luthers Werke: Deutsches Bibel (Weimar, 1906–). The “German Bible” section of the Weimar edition of Luther’s works.

WATr D. Martin Luthers Werke: Tischreden (6 vols; Weimar, 1912–21). The “Table-Talk” section of the Weimar edition of Luther’s works.

Z Huldreich Zwinglis sämtliche Werke, ed. E. Egli et al. (Corpus Reformatorum, vols 88–: Berlin/Leipzig/Zurich, 1905–). The best critical edition of Zwingli’s works, still in progress, replacing the Schuler–Schulthess edition of the nineteenth century. Two other methods of referring to this edition should be noted: first, CR followed by a volume number of 88 or greater, which refers the reader to the appropriate volume in the section of Corpus Reformatorum series devoted to Zwingli; second, CR (Zwingli), which refers the reader to the Corpus Reformatorum series, vols 88–. Thus CR (Zwingli) 1 is a reference to the first volume in the Zwingli section of the Corpus Reformatorum series – i.e. vol. 88. See further Appendix 4.

ZW Alternative abbreviation for Huldreich Zwinglis sämtliche Werke: preferred abbreviation is Z.

Secondary Sources

ADB Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (55 vols; Leipzig, 1875–1912; reprinted Berlin, 1967–71).

AGBR Aktensammlung zur Geschichte der Basler Reformation in den Jahren 1519 bis Anfang 1534 (3 vols; Basle, 1921–37).

AGZR Aktensammlung zur Geschichte der Züricher Reformation in den Jahren 1519–33, ed. Emil Egli (Zurich, 1879; reprinted Aalen, 1973).

ARG Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte.

BHR Bibliothèque d’humanisme et Renaissance.

CIC Corpus Iuris Canonici (2 vols; Leipzig, 1879; reprinted Graz, 1959).

CICiv Corpus Iuris Civilis (3 vols; Berlin, 1872–1908).

EThL Ephemerides Theologicae Louvaniensis.

FcS Franciscan Studies.

FS Franziskanische Studien.

HThR Harvard Theological Review.

JThS Journal of Theological Studies.

QFRG Quellen und Forschungen zur Reformationsgeschichte (Gütersloh, 1911–).

RGG Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart (6 vols; Tübingen, 3rd ed., 1957–65).

RGST Reformationsgeschichtliche Studien und Texte (Münster, 1906–).

RThAM Recherches de théologie ancienne et médiévale.

SJTh Scottish Journal of Theology.

SMRT Studies in Medieval and Reformation Thought, ed. H. A. Oberman (Leiden, 1966–).

ZKG Zeitschrift für Kirchengeschichte.

ZKTh Zeitschrift für katholische Theologie.

ZThK Zeitschrift für Theologie und Kirche.

Zwa Zwingliana: Beiträge zur Geschichte Zwinglis, der Reformation, und des Protestantismus in der Schweiz.

Note that some writers prefer to abbreviate “Theology” and derived words as “T” rather than “Th” – thus SJTh, JThS, and HThR are often abbreviated as SJT, JTS, and HTR.

John Calvin

Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion is almost invariably referred to in the edition of 1559. This edition is divided into four main sections (books), each dealing with a broad general theme. Each book is then divided into chapters, each of which is further subdivided into sections. A reference to the 1559 edition of this work will therefore include three numbers, identifying the book, the chapter, and the section. The book number is usually given in capital roman numerals, the chapter in small roman numerals, and the section in Arabic numerals. Thus book two, chapter twelve, section one, would probably be referred to as II.xii.1, although this reference might also take other forms, such as II, 12, 1 or 2.12.1.

In addition, reference may be given to an edition (e.g. the Corpus Reformatorum or Opera Selecta) or an English translation. For example, the reference Institutio III.xi.1; OS 4.193.2–5 is a reference to book three, chapter eleven, section one of the 1559 edition of the Institutes, specifically the section to be found on lines 2–5 of page 193 of the fourth volume of the Opera Selecta. Similarly a reference to Institutes IV.v.5; tr. Beveridge, 2.243 is to the fifth section of the fifth chapter of book four of the Institutes, as it is found on page 243 of volume two of the celebrated translation by Henry Beveridge (see Appendix 2).

Reference to Calvin’s commentaries and sermons usually involves the Corpus Reformatorum edition, which is referred to simply by volume and page number. Thus CR 50.437 is a reference to page 437 of volume 50. The volume number will be in the range 1–59. Occasionally, unfortunately, confusion can result from an irritating practice, fortunately generally confined to older studies of Calvin. The Corpus Reformatorum edition consists of the works of Melanchthon (vols 1–28), Calvin (vols 29–87), and Zwingli (vols 88–). Volume one of Calvin’s works is thus volume 29 within the series – and older works sometimes refer to Calvin’s works using this higher volume number. If you find reference to this edition of Calvin with a volume number in the region 60–87, you should subtract 28 to obtain the correct volume number. If you find an isolated reference to Calvin, especially in an older work, which doesn’t seem to make sense, subtract 28, and try again!

Desiderius Erasmus

The two most commonly encountered editions of Erasmus’ Latin works are the LeClerc edition, published at Leiden in 1703 (reprinted in 1963), and the Allen edition of the correspondence.

The LeClerc edition is almost invariably referred to in the following manner. An initial number denotes the volume, and a second number the column (each page is divided into two columns, numbered individually). This is then followed by a letter (A–F), which indicates the position of the section being referred to in the column. These letters are printed on the page of the LeClerc edition for ease of reference. The following references are given to illustrate this: LB V.153 F; LB X.1754 C–D; and LB II.951 A–B. The first reference is to column 153 of volume 5, the letter F indicating that the section is at the bottom of the column. The second reference is to column 1754 of volume 10, the letters C–D indicating that the section being referred to is to be found toward the middle of the column. The final reference is to column 951 of volume 2, the letters A–B indicating that the section is toward the top of the page.

The Allen edition of the correspondence is generally referred to by first identifying the volume, followed by the page and line numbers – thus EE 2.491.133–9 refers to lines 133–9 on page 491 of the second of the twelve volumes. Occasionally, reference is made to the letter number – thus EE 2, no. 541, is a reference to letter number 541 (from Erasmus to Capito, dated February 26, 1517), to be found in the second volume of the Allen edition.

Martin Luther

The only critical edition of Luther’s works now generally referred to is the great “Weimar edition,” begun in 1883 as part of the celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the German Reformer’s birth. The edition is divided into four main sections:

1. The main body of the work, containing his major theological writings (abbreviated as WA).
2. The correspondence (abbreviated as WABr). In catalogues, this section is generally designated by the German word Briefwechsel.
3. The so-called Table-Talk (abbreviated as WATr). In catalogues, this section is generally designated by the German word Tischreden. This material was not written by Luther himself, but consists of reports of Luther’s meal-time conversations with his friends. The reliability of this material has frequently been challenged.
4. The “German Bible” (abbreviated as WADB). In catalogues, this section is generally designated by the German words Deutsches Bibel.

The first stage in deciphering a reference to the Weimar edition is thus to determine which of the four sections of the work is being referred to. For most purposes, it is likely to be the main body of the work.

This is relatively simple to handle. Reference is invariably given by volume number, page number and line number – in that order. There is some variation in the method of referring to the volume number, some writers using roman, others Arabic numerals. Thus WA 4.25.12–17 and WA IV.25.12–17 are both references to lines 12–17 of page 25 of the fourth volume of the main body of the work. The only difficulty to note is that some volumes are divided into parts. Where this applies, the part number follows immediately after the volume number. Three main systems are encountered for designating the part number. The references WA 55 II.109.9, WA LV/2.109.9, and WA 55².109.9 all refer to line nine of page 109 of the second part of volume 55 of the Weimar edition.

The correspondence (WABr) and the German Bible (WADB) are generally referred to in much the same way. Thus WABr 1.99.8–13 is a reference to lines 8–13 of page 99 of the first volume of the correspondence. In the case of the Table-Talk (WATr), however, a slightly different means of reference is generally employed. The Table-Talk is divided into nearly 6000 sections, and the general practice is to refer to the volume number, followed by the section number. Thus WATr 2.2068 is a reference to section 2068, which may be found in the second of the six volumes of the Weimar edition of the Table-Talk. On a few rare occasions, these sections are further subdivided: the subdivisions are identified by letter – for example, WATr 3.3390b.

Huldrych Zwingli

Reference in all modern studies is to the excellent Corpus Reformatorum edition, generally designated simply as Z (for other designations, see Appendix 3). Several works not in this modern edition are to be found in the Schuler–Schulthess edition.

The Corpus Reformatorum edition is referred to by volume number, page number, and line number. Volume 6 is subdivided, with the subdivisions usually being designated by lower-case roman numbers. Thus Z III.259.32 refers to line 32 on page 259 of volume 3, and Z VI iii.182.3–5 to lines 3–5 on page 182 of the third part of volume 6 of the Corpus Reformatorum edition. In older works, reference is occasionally made to the Zwingli section of the Corpus Reformatorum edition using a volume number of 88 or greater. This is because the Corpus Reformatorum edition brings together the works of three Reformers (the others being Melanchthon and Calvin, who take up volumes 1–87). To convert from this older system, subtract 87 from the volume number. Thus CR 90.259.32 is equivalent to Z III.259.32.

The Schuler–Schulthess edition is referred to by volume number, page number, and line number. Volumes 2 and 6 are subdivided, with the subdivisions being designated by lower-case roman numbers. Thus S IV.45.26–8 refers to lines 26–8 on page 45 of volume 4; S VI i.602.48 refers to line 48 on page 602 of the first part of volume 6.

The Vulgate Psalm Numbers

We can tabulate the differences between the Vulgate and modern English versions of the Psalter as follows:

It will thus be clear that the Vulgate and English Psalm numbers are identical only in the case of eleven Psalms (1–8, 148–50).

Thus, when Luther refers to Psalm 22, he actually intends what most people today know as Psalm 23. Some modern English translations alter references to the Psalms to make allowance for the numeration difference – but when dealing with the original text, the student must be prepared to adjust the Psalm numbers accordingly. If you find a reference to a Psalm which doesn’t make sense, try altering the numbers according to the above table.

Referring to Psalms

It is now virtually universal practice within the scholarly literature dealing with the Reformation (and especially Luther) to refer to Psalms in the following manner. If there is a difference between the Psalm numbers in the English and the Vulgate texts, the Vulgate number is given first, followed by the English number in parentheses. Thus a discussion of “Luther’s exposition of Psalm 70 (71)” means Psalm 70 according to the Vulgate numeration and Psalm 71 according to the English numeration. Similarly, a reference to Psalm 22 (23):3 is a reference to verse 3 of Psalm 22 following the Vulgate numeration, and Psalm 23 following the English numeration. Occasionally, the situation is further complicated through some Psalms having different verse numbers in the Vulgate and English versions. A reference to “Psalm 84:11 (85:10)” thus means Psalm 84, verse 11, in the Vulgate version; Psalm 85, verse 10, in the English version.

Academic Journal Book Reviews

Most academic journals focusing on the sixteenth century or the Reformation include reviews of recent scholarly works in the field, which will help you identify resources for your own study. You will find the following especially useful: Sixteenth Century Journal, Reformation, Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte.

It is also helpful to identify recent major monographs of areas of thought that interest you, and use their bibliographies – which are often very extensive – to help you identify relevant resources in the field.

Web Searches

The growing importance of the Internet has radically changed scholarly habits, especially in relation to compiling bibliographies. The most useful and convenient way of identifying recent works of relevance in any field relevant to the study of Reformation thought is to use a search engine, and enter search terms – such as “Reformation theology bibliography” – which are designed to identify likely resources. This method should be supplemented by those noted below. Note that in many cases, the print resources mentioned are now available online through university libraries, or private subscription.

The Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte Literature Supplement

The leading journal in the field of Reformation studies is Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte (“Archive for Reformation History”), published annually in October. Between 1972 and 2018, this journal has included a supplementary Literature Review (Literaturbericht), which provides details of several thousand important books or articles published recently relating to the history or the thought of the Reformation. Some are annotated, either in English or in German. The review is divided into sections and subsections, the classification being given in German. An English version of its most important sections follows:

The student should select the section or subsections of particular interest to them, and work their way through the publications listed thereunder. Although publication of this resource ceased in 2018, it remains an important resource for identifying key older works of scholarship.