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Philip Melanchthon
February 16, 1497 – April 19, 1560
Reformer & Theologian
Luther's right hand — authored the Augsburg Confession
Biography
German Reformer, theologian, and educator who was Martin Luther's closest collaborator. He authored the Augsburg Confession (1530), the primary confession of the Lutheran church, and systematized Reformation theology in his 'Loci Communes' — the first Protestant systematic theology.
Faith & Testimony
Known as the 'Teacher of Germany,' Melanchthon combined humanist learning with evangelical conviction. While Luther was the fiery preacher, Melanchthon was the careful theologian who gave the Reformation its intellectual structure. His Augsburg Confession remains the foundational Lutheran confession to this day.