Martin Luther's doctrinal hermeneutic and its ecumenical application

The dissertation investigates Luther's definition of doctrine and its application in three key ecumenical encounters: Luther's 1523 discussion with the Unitas Fratrum; his engagement in the eucharistic controversies and the 1529 Marburg Colloquy; and his theological preparation for the proposed ecumenical council with the Church of Rome, the 1537 Smalcald Articles.;Previous research has often noted the significance Luther attached to doctrine. However, Luther's definition of doctrine and how this definition informed his dialogues with other Christian communities in the Reformation era has not been investigated. The dissertation argues that Luther gradually developed a doctrinal hermeneutic for determining whether a particular church teaching is an article of faith obligatory for all Christians. His doctrinal hermeneutic consisted of two canons (scriptural and evangelical) that served as interpretive lenses through which he judged whether a doctrine is necessary for salvation. Luther applied his doctrinal hermeneutic to ecumenical discussions to ascertain and insure that only articles of faith would serve as a basis for unity.;Chapter One introduces the subject of the dissertation and describes the sources and methodology used in the investigation. Chapter Two analyzes the historical-theological development of Luther's doctrinal hermeneutic. The focus is on Luther's writings from 1518 to 1525 that reveal the development of his doctrinal hermeneutic in dialogue with the medieval theological tradition, Scripture, and his theological opponents.;Chapters Three, Four, and Five demonstrate respectively the application of Luther's doctrinal hermeneutic to the three cases mentioned above. The dissertation advances Luther research by identifying Luther's method of defining articles of faith. It also sheds light on Luther's ecumenical methodology, and may contribute to contemporary ecumenical dialogue by stimulating further research on the definition of doctrine as a basis for unity between churches.