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Peace from Heidelberg
Davenant Press

Peace from Heidelberg

Studies in Protestant Irenics Vol. 1

by Herman Selderhuis

Short, scholarly studies in Rich Protestant Wisdom

The irenical theology taught and promoted at the Heidelberg University in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century has largely been influenced by the theology and irenical attitude of Philipp Melanchthon. In line with Melanchthon’s attitude this irenical theology seeks for unity but within strict limitation of the foundations of the theology of the Reformation. This theology seeks for unity through finding formulations that can unite and through pointing out commonalities but without giving up content. This is clearly demonstrated by the position taken by Heidelberg’s delegation to the Synod of Dordrecht. The theologians promoting this theology were motivated by the ecclesiastical and political need for the unity of Protestantism but mainly by the conviction that Calvinism and Lutheranism belong together and that differences between these two groups are more a matter of formulation than of theology.

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About the Author

Herman Selderhuis

Herman Selderhuis (1961) is professor of Church History at the Theological University Apeldoorn (TUA), where in 1994 he defended his PhD on “Marriage and Divorce in the theology of Martin Bucer (1491-1551).” Selderhuis is also President of the Reformation Research Consortium (REFORC) and President of the European Academy of Religion (EuARe). He has published extensively on the history and theology of the Reformation. Selderhuis holds honorary doctorates from the University of Debrecen (Hungary) and from the University of Zurich (Switzerland).

Publication Details

  • Publisher: Davenant Press
  • ISBN: 978-1-949716-73-3
  • Publication Date: October 2, 2025
  • Pages: 110
  • Author: Herman Selderhuis
  • Price: $17.95

Endorsements

  • “Herman J. Selderhuis is one of the best scholars of early modern Christianity. His ‘Peace from Heidelberg’ draws on scholarly expertise gained through extensive research over many years – and it shows just how manifold Protestantism was. Readers of this book will be in for surprises beginning with a challenge to well-established narratives on the relationship between politics and religion, and not ending with the long-lasting influence of Philip Melanchthon.”

    — Tobias Jammerthal, Dr. Theol., MA (Dunelm); Professor of Church History and Head of the Institute for Swiss Reformation Studies in the University of Zurich

  • “Herman Selderhuis’s concise work on theological irenicism at the University of Heidelberg in the late 16th and early 17th century is a gem. Written in lucid and engaging prose, this text sheds light on significant Reformed attempts to build theological consensus with their Lutheran counterparts in an era that, like our own, tended to favor polemics over finding common ground.”

    — Dr. Karin Maag, Director, H. Henry Meeter Center, Hekman Library

  • “Representing a minority in Germany, Reformed Heidelberg became a centre of religious irenism in the eve of the Thirty Years’ War. Herman Selderhuis unfolds this decisive moment of history in meticulously crafted studies. With clarity and depth, he shows what can happen when great minds reflect on faith and reconciliation. This book is a gift to all who seek to understand how peace can grow from mutual respect.”

    — Volker Leppin, Horace Tracy Pitkin Professor of Historical Theology, Yale Divinity School

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