Collaborator and friend of Martin Luther, born Bretten, Baden, February 16, 1497; died Wittenberg, Germany, April 19, 1560. Educated at Heidelbocg, he went to Tübingen, where he became a pupil and later received a lectureship. Appointed professor of Greek at Wittenberg, 1518, he soon became acquainted with Luther, who persuaded him to take up theological lectures. Melanchthon composed the first treatise on "evangelical" doctrine. In 1530 he defended the cause of Protestantism in the Augsburg Confession, which won the unanimous approval of the Evangelical party. He rejected the Augsburg Interim, 1548, and participated in the religious discussion at Worms, 1557, between Catholic and Protestant theologians. The embodiment of intellectual culture, Melanchthon helped to found higher education in Protestant Germany.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
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