Martin Luther: The Preservation of the Church, 1532-1546

As expected, the Reformation in Germany continued to expand after the Religious Peace of Nuremberg of 1532. Luther was frequently involved in this process in various ways. He often assisted in introducing the Reformation into additional territories. Territories and cities that had already become evangelical continued to require his counsel and support. He warned against Anabaptism, which was clearly revealing at that time that it was a danger for church and society. Within the Smalcald League the cities in southern Germany were now drawing nearer to Luther theologically. Even France and England were seeking contacts with Wittenberg. More strongly than before, political interests were affecting these external relationships. Not infrequently, both within and without Electoral Saxony, the joint counsel of the Wittenberg theologians was requested or given, and frequently Melanchthon was assigned the task of formulating their mutual decision.

Aside from Electoral Saxony, there was scarcely any other Reformation territory in which Luther was more involved than the one in the principality of Anhalt, which lay to the northwest of Wittenberg.¹ As in the two Saxonies, the government there had similarly been divided between two lines of the princely house. Prince Wolfgang (b. 1492) resided in Kothen. Through his mother, Elector John’s sister, he had close connections with the ruling house of Electoral Saxony. He had already joined in signing the Augsburg Confession in 1530. In the Dessau portion of the territory his cousin, Prince John (b. 1504), ruled. Johns brothers were Prince George (b. 1507), the cathedral dean in

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