Confessional Transformations from the Wittenberg Reformation to Lutheranism

This essay sets out to trace the movement step by step from this pre-confessional phase to the confessional consolidation of the Wittenberg Reformation in a confession-oriented Lutheranism. At the same time, the historical junctures taking place in those events or phenomena are to come into view which promoted this development or can be considered as milestones in this process. As a result, differing perspectives on this process of confessional consolidation (i.e., on the way to Lutheranism) are to be described. The first perspective is focused on the religious colloquies and their failure to reconcile feuding groups. The second treats theological standardization through the formation of confessions and the construction of authority.