Smalcald Articles

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The Smalcald Articles are a key 16th-century Lutheran confessional document written by Martin Luther that summarize and defend core Reformation doctrines against Roman Catholic teachings.

All labels observed (2)

Label Occurrences
Smalcald Articles canonical 10
Schmalkaldic Articles 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Lutheran confessional document
Reformation-era theological text
approvedBy many theologians of the Schmalkaldic League
author Martin Luther
canonicalStatus part of the Lutheran Symbols
christologicalEmphasis centrality of Christ’s atoning work
commissionedBy Elector John Frederick of Saxony
confessionalFamily Book of Concord
confessionalStatus authoritative in many Lutheran churches
dateWritten 1537
ecclesiasticalStance rejects certain Roman Catholic sacramental practices
rejects compulsory clerical celibacy
rejects monastic vows as meritorious
rejects the sacrifice of the Mass
genre confessional writing
historicalContext Protestant Reformation
linked to: Reformation

Smalkaldic League
linked to: Schmalkaldic League
influence shaped later Lutheran orthodoxy
intendedFor meeting of the Schmalkaldic League in 1537
language Early New High German
laterIncorporatedIn Book of Concord
opposesDoctrineOf meritorious works for justification
papal supremacy
part Part I: Chief articles of faith
Part II: Articles concerning the office and work of Christ
Part III: Articles which discuss various abuses
placeWritten Wittenberg
purpose to defend Reformation teachings against Roman Catholic doctrine
to summarize Lutheran doctrine
relatedDocument Apology of the Augsburg Confession
Augsburg Confession
Luther’s Large Catechism
Luther’s Small Catechism
religiousTradition Lutheranism
structure three main parts
supportsDoctrineOf Christ as the only mediator
justification by grace through faith
two sacraments (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper) as central
theologicalFocus Mass and abuses of the Mass
authority of Scripture
critique of the papacy
doctrine of justification by faith alone
invocation of saints
monastic vows
repentance and confession
sacraments
viewOfScripture Scripture as the only rule and norm of doctrine
yearIncorporatedInBookOfConcord 1580

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (11)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Lutheran orthodoxy usesDocument Smalcald Articles
Concordia hasComponentWork Smalcald Articles
Epitome of the Formula of Concord follows Smalcald Articles
Lutheran Reformation hasKeyEvent Smalcald Articles
Schmalkaldic League significantDocument Schmalkaldic Articles
linked to: Smalcald Articles
Smalcald League associatedWithDocument Smalcald Articles
Smalcald knownFor Smalcald Articles