Publisher's Synopsis
Anhalt would not exist without the Reformation. It was because of this movement that the region, rich in tradition and situated between the Flaming Heath and the Harz Mountains, grew closely together. Also the Evangelical Church of Anhalt has its roots in the rather specific church history of the 16th and early 17th century and is nowadays the only statutory corporation that still represents the historic state of Anhalt. In terms of theology, this ecclesiastical history was not only influenced by Luther, but also by Melanchthon and finally Calvin. Furthermore, the small-scale structures of church, state, and society - largely a result of the identity and political actions of the House of Ascania - significantly impacted the unfolding of the Reformation in Anhalt. The various phases of development as well as the places, images, and stakeholders of this history of the Reformation - which serve as the book's structural elements - have been subject to comparative research time and again. For the first time, the comprehensive results of this research are brought together in this volume, complemented by previously unpublished works.
