Loci Communes: Common Places of Theology or Theological Sketches

The First Protestant Systematic Theology - Now Accessible to Modern Readers

Essential reading for students of church history, Reformation theology, and anyone seeking to understand the theological foundations of Protestant Christianity.

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When 24-year-old Philip Melanchthon published his Loci Communes in 1521, he created the first systematic presentation of Protestant theology. Written during the most tumultuous year of the early Reformation—as Luther faced excommunication and the Diet of Worms—this work became the theological textbook that shaped Lutheran doctrine and profoundly influenced Reformed theology for centuries.

Unlike the sprawling scholastic treatises of the medieval period, Melanchthon organized Christian doctrine around the central themes of sin, law, and grace, making Protestant theology accessible to pastors, students, and educated laypeople across Europe. John Calvin praised it highly, and it became a foundational text for Protestant theological education throughout the 16th century.

This carefully edited edition features:

• Extensive footnotes explaining historical figures, theological terms, and foreign language passages
• Maps showing the world of the early Reformation
• Comprehensive glossary of theological and historical terms
• Timeline of key Reformation events
• Suggested further reading for deeper study

More than just an academic exercise, the Loci Communes served as a practical handbook for those seeking to understand how the Reformation's rediscovery of justification by faith alone reshaped every aspect of Christian teaching—from human nature and free will to the sacraments and church authority.

This publication has reworked an early English translation of Melanchthon's word and presented it in a format and at a price which is accessible to the average reader.

Contents

DEDICATORY EPISTLE

1. On the Powers of Man, Especially Free Will

• On Sin
• The Nature of Sin
• Origin of Original Sin
• The Power and Fruit of Sin

1. On Law

• On Divine Laws
• On Counsels
• On Monkish Vows
• On Judicial and Ceremonial Laws
• On Human Laws

1. On the Gospel and Grace

• The Meaning of the Gospel
• On the Power of the Law
• On the Power of the Gospel
• On Grace

1. On Justification and Faith

• On the Efficacy of Faith
• On Love and Hope
• Summation: Law, Gospel, Faith
• On the Distinction between the Old and New Testaments and likewise on the Abrogation of the Law
• On the Old and the New Man
• On Mortal and Daily Sin

1. On Signs

• On Baptism
• On Penitence
• On Private Confessions
• On Participation in the Table of the Lord
• On Love

1. On Church and State

• On Magistrates 117
• On Offense 118

1. Appendices

• Maps
• Glossary
• Key Timelines
• Suggested Further Reading