Duration: 1959 until 2016
The significance of the Strasbourg Reformer Martin Bucer (1491–1551) for the institutions of the Protestant church resides, among other things, in the ecclesiastical ordinances he drew up for various German territories and cities of the Empire. Later taken up and disseminated by Calvin, they left their stamp on the entire Reformed church Tradition. In addition, he was indefatigable in his attempts to improve communication and understanding both among the Protestants themselves and between Protestantism and the Catholic church. Bucer took serious note of the challenge by the so-called “left wing” of the Reformation, drawing upon their critique in his advocacy for the rite of confirmation and for church discipline. He is also a central figure in the debate on the relationship between church and state, championing the freedom of the church from the state to an extent verging on the advocacy of a free church. During his stay in Cambridge he also helped lay the foundations for Anglicanism.
This commented edition of Martin Bucer’s writings in German is part of an international project designed to produce the first historical-critical edition of his complete works. It is one of the most important ongoing projects relating to the entire Reformation period. At present the edition comprises 22 volumes, two more are in the planning stage.
Head of the Research Unit
- Prof. D. Dr. Robert Stupperich (1953/1958-1982)
- Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Neuser (1983-1994)
- Prof. Dr. Gottfried Seebaß (1994-1998)
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Wilhelmi (1998-2001)
- Prof. Dr. Gottfried Seebaß (2001-2006)
- Prof. Dr. Christoph Strohm (2006-2016)
Team
- Dr. Johannes Müller (1953-1955)
- Dr. Ernst Wilhelm Kohls (1958-1962)
- Dr. Martin Greschat (1962-1965)
- Herbert Vogt (1964-1966)
- Dorothea Demmer (1965-1967)
- Peter Fabisch (1965-1967)
- Dr. Marijn de Kroon (1972-1993)
- Ian Hazlett (1974-1975)
- Dr. Hans-Jürgen Schönstädt (1975-1980)
- Dr. Hermann Peiter (1981)
- Dr. Hartmut Hartmut Rudolph (1983-1993)
- Dr. Hans Schulz (1994-1998)
- Prof. Dr. Christoph Strohm (1994-1996)
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Wilhelmi (1996-2016)
- Dr. Stephen E. Buckwalter (1998-2016)
- Susanne Haaf (2007-2009)
- Daniel Degen (2012-2016)