Lutheran theology and contract law in early modern Germany (ca. 1520-1720). / Paolo Astorri

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Dissertation, Catholic University of Leuven, 2018

Intro -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1 A Lutheran Doctrine of Contract? -- 2 Research Hypothesis -- 3 Selection of Sources -- 4 Method -- 5 Structure -- Part I Christian Spirituality and Law: Developments and Sources -- Chapter 1 Care for the Souls before the Reformation and in the Early Modern Roman Catholic World -- 1.0 Introduction -- 1.1 The First Christian Communities -- 1.1.1 Christian Life in the World -- 1.1.2 The Jurisdiction of the Church -- 1.1.3 Monasticism and the Reform of Spiritual Life -- 1.2 From Augustine to Charlemagne -- 1.2.1 Pilgrims towards Heaven -- 1.2.2 From Penitentials to Capitulars -- 1.3 The Jurisdiction of the Souls -- 1.3.1 The Judgment of God -- 1.3.2 Theology of Penance -- 1.3.3 The forum poenitentiale -- 1.3.4 Dominicans' and Franciscans' summae -- 1.4 The Specialists of Conscience -- 1.4.1 Aristotelian Morality -- 1.4.2 Gerson and the Early Modern Scholastics -- 1.4.3 Jesuit Moral Theology -- 1.5 Conclusion -- Chapter 2 The Engagement of the Lutheran Theologians with Contract Law: Principles and Literature -- 2.0 Introduction -- 2.1 The Reformation of Contract Law -- 2.1.1 Introduction -- 2.1.2 Luther: Theological and Legal Premises -- 2.1.2.1 Justification and Moral Actions -- 2.1.2.2 The Law and the Gospel -- 2.1.2.3 Contract Law and the Love for Man's Neighbours -- 2.1.3 Melanchthon: Theological and Legal Premises -- 2.1.3.1 The Will, the Law and the Gospel -- 2.1.3.2 Divine Law and Natural Law -- 2.1.3.3 Contract Law as Divine Institution -- 2.1.4 The Contributions of the First Disciples -- 2.1.4.1 Introduction -- 2.1.4.2 Rhegius: The Student of Eck -- 2.1.4.3 Brenz: The Magistrate as Servant of Conscience -- 2.1.4.4 Aepinus: The Superintendent of Hamburg -- 2.2 The Struggle for Confessional Identity -- 2.2.1 Introduction -- 2.2.2 Ethical Treatises -- 2.2.2.1 Introduction.

2.2.2.2 Chytraeus and the Reformation in Rostock -- 2.2.2.3 Von Eitzen: Rostock, Hamburg and Schleswig -- 2.2.2.4 Strigel and the doctrina dulcissima de contractibus -- 2.2.3 Dogmatic Treatises -- 2.2.3.1 Introduction -- 2.2.3.2 Chemnitz: Conserving the Genuine Doctrine -- 2.2.3.3 Hemmingsen: praeceptor universalis Daniae -- 2.2.3.4 Gerhard: The First Lutheran Moralist -- 2.2.4 Biblical Commentaries and Sermons -- 2.2.4.1 Georg Major: Between Paul's Letters and Melanchthon -- 2.2.4.2 Andreae: Chancellor and Provost at the Tübingen University -- 2.2.4.3 Hunnius: Between Tübingen and Wittenberg -- 2.3 Penance, Casuistry and Moral Theology -- 2.3.1 Introduction -- 2.3.2 Towards a New Type of Penance -- 2.3.3 Catechetical Books, Manuals for Confessors and Collections of Theological Counsels -- 2.3.4 Casuistry -- 2.3.4.1 Balduin and Meisner: The School of Wittenberg -- 2.3.4.2 König and Dannhauer: Altdorf and Strasbourg -- 2.3.4.3 Dunte, Prückner and the Pastoral Practice -- 2.3.5 Moral Theology -- 2.3.5.1 Georg Calixt and the Theologians of Helmstedt -- 2.3.5.2 Dürr, Baier and the Theologians of Altdorf -- 2.3.5.3 Strauch and Schelwig: from Wittenberg to Danzig -- 2.4 The Challenges of the Modern Natural Lawyers -- 2.4.1 Introduction -- 2.4.2 The Defense of the Orthodox Doctrine -- 2.4.2.1 Alberti and Zentgrav: Reactionary Theologians -- 2.4.2.2 Osiander, Jäger and the Early Modern Scholastics -- 2.4.3 Buddeus: Separating Moral Theology from Natural Jurisprudence -- 2.4.4 Olearius and Haferung: Coming Back to the Tradition -- 2.5 Conclusion -- Part II A Biblical Framework for Contract Law: Basic Elements -- Chapter 1 The Conceptualization of Agreements -- 1.0 Introduction -- 1.1 Towards a Consensualist Theory of Contract Law -- 1.2 The Seventh Commandment: Private Property and Contracts -- 1.2.1 Introduction -- 1.2.2 The Defense of Private Property.

1.2.2.1 Not a Communion of Goods, but a Private Property for the Neighbour's Needs -- 1.2.2.2 Chemnitz' Refusal of the Arguments in Favour of a Communion of Goods -- 1.2.2.3 A Divine Order: Luther and Melanchthon's Definition of Property -- 1.2.2.4 The Nexus with the Revelation -- 1.2.3 Contracts are a Creation of God -- 1.2.3.1 Exploiting the Definitions already in Existence -- 1.2.3.2 Instruments of Faith and Charity -- 1.3 The Eighth Commandment: Observance of Agreements -- 1.3.1 Introduction -- 1.3.2 Pactum and promissio -- 1.3.3 Towards a New Conceptualization -- 1.3.4 The Virtue of Truthfulness -- 1.3.5 Attempting a Synthesis -- 1.4 Conclusion -- Chapter 2 The Seventh Commandment: The Lawfulness and Right Use of Contracts -- 2.0 Introduction -- 2.1 The Lawfulness of Business and Contracts -- 2.1.1 Anabaptists' Rejection of Business -- 2.1.2 Luther and Melanchthon's Reaction -- 2.1.3 The Response of the Lutheran Orthodoxy -- 2.2 The 'Right Use' of Contracts -- 2.2.1 Introduction -- 2.2.2 Faith and Charity -- 2.2.2.1 Introduction -- 2.2.2.2 Genesis: Melanchthon and Chemnitz -- 2.2.2.3 Further Applications: Dieterich, Selnecker, Dürr, Baier and Buddeus -- 2.2.3 The Protection against Fraud -- 2.2.3.1 Introduction -- 2.2.3.2 Luther: sola Scriptura -- 2.2.3.3 A Detailed Categorization? -- 2.2.4 Equality in Contracts -- 2.2.4.1 Melanchthon: Equality as Obedience towards God -- 2.2.4.2 Chytraeus, Brenz and Gerhard: Specifying the Meaning of Equality -- 2.2.4.3 Olearius, Osiander and Jäger: Equality as Protection against Fraud -- 2.2.4.4 Buddeus and Bertling: Equality as a Form of Promotion of the Other Party's Interest -- 2.3 Conclusion -- Chapter 3 The Eighth Commandment: Contractual Fidelity -- 3.0 Introduction -- 3.1 Pacta sunt servanda: Towards a New Foundation -- 3.1.1 Introduction -- 3.1.2 The Legacy of Canon Law -- 3.1.3 The Eighth Commandment.

3.1.4 Natural Law -- 3.1.5 The Virtue of Truthfulness and Fidelity -- 3.1.6 Christian Love -- 3.2 Moral or Legal Effects -- 3.2.1 Introduction -- 3.2.2 The Early Modern Scholastics -- 3.2.3 Onerous Promises and Gratuitous Promises -- 3.2.4 The Promisor's Intention -- 3.2.5 Every Just and Honourable Promise is Binding in Conscience -- 3.2.6 Pollicitatio and perfecta promissio -- 3.3 Formation of the Agreement -- 3.3.1 Introduction -- 3.3.2 Requirements for the Obligation -- 3.3.2.1 Commenting on Cicero: Melanchthon and Von Eitzen -- 3.3.2.2 Drawing upon the Scholastics: Meisner, Horneius and Jäger -- 3.3.2.3 Looking at the Virtues: Olearius and Haferung -- 3.3.3 The Intention -- 3.3.4 The Expression of Consent -- 3.3.4.1 Introduction -- 3.3.4.2 Osiander: The Necessity of a Declaration -- 3.3.4.3 Jäger: Everything is binding in the Court of Conscience -- 3.3.4.4 The Types of Declarations -- 3.3.5 The Necessity of Acceptance -- 3.3.6 The Subjects of the Agreement -- 3.4 Vices of Consent -- 3.4.1 Introduction -- 3.4.2 Incapacity -- 3.4.3 Mistake (error vel dolus) -- 3.4.3.1 Introduction -- 3.4.3.2 Meisner: A Rational Approach -- 3.4.3.3 Dannhauer: Obedience to the Scriptures -- 3.4.4 Duress -- 3.4.4.1 The Law of Marriage -- 3.4.4.2 Does Duress Invalidate an Agreement? -- 3.5 The Performance -- 3.5.1 Introduction -- 3.5.2 Moral Impossibility -- 3.5.2.1 General Clauses -- 3.5.2.2 Natural Law vs. Moral Theology -- 3.5.2.3 Noxious or Useless Subject Matter and Changed Circumstances -- 3.5.3 Physical Impossibility -- 3.5.4 Rules for the Execution -- 3.6 From the Will to the Bond: A Brief Gaze towards the Future -- 3.7 Conclusion -- Part III Selected Issues from Particular Types of Contract -- Chapter 1 Sale, Lease and Restitution -- 1.0 Introduction -- 1.1 Sale: Roman Law, Aristotle and Orthodox Theology -- 1.1.1 Introduction -- 1.1.2 Lawfulness and Structure.

1.1.3 Rules Concerning the Goods -- 1.1.3.1 The Right of Property -- 1.1.3.2 A Just Measure -- 1.1.3.3 Defects of Goods I: Following the Scholastics -- 1.1.3.4 Defects of Goods II: The Rigorist Version -- 1.1.4 Rules Concerning the Price -- 1.1.4.1 The Ethics of Pricing: Common Estimation, Public Authority and Conscience -- 1.1.4.2 Market Abuse I: Conscience, the Holy Scripture and the Magistrate -- 1.1.4.3 Market Abuse II: Scholastic Argumentation Applied -- 1.1.4.4 Private Monopolies Are Against Charity -- 1.2 Lease: Between the Scholastics and the Scriptures -- 1.2.1 Introduction -- 1.2.2 Locatio rei and locatio personae -- 1.2.2.1 Equality in Lease: Melanchthon and His Immediate Followers -- 1.2.2.2 Horneius, Dürr, Baier and Prückner: Gaining Precision -- 1.2.3 The Lease of Body (locatio corporis) -- 1.2.3.1 The Debate among the Early Modern Scholastics -- 1.2.3.2 Meisner: Four Reasons Against the Prostitute's Right to Keep Her Salary -- 1.2.3.3 Osiander: Resuming the Scholastic Approval -- 1.3 Guidelines for Restitution -- 1.3.1 Introduction -- 1.3.2 Theoretical Features -- 1.3.2.1 Foundation: Augustine, the Scriptures and Rational Arguments -- 1.3.2.2 An Issue of Salvation? -- 1.3.3 Practical Features -- 1.3.3.1 Instructions for Executing Restitution -- 1.3.3.2 General Exceptions -- 1.3.3.3 Almsgiving in Place of Restitution -- 1.3.3.4 Restitution in the Event of Damages to the Debtor and His Family -- 1.3.3.5 The laesio enormis -- 1.4 Conclusion -- Chapter 2 Lending and the Interest Prohibition -- 2.0 Introduction -- 2.1 Requisites for a Revolution -- 2.1.1 Introduction -- 2.1.2 Scholastic Theologians and Canonists on the Prohibition Against Interest -- 2.1.2.1 Roman Law and Canon Law -- 2.1.2.2 A Sin Against Justice and a Breach of Natural Law -- 2.1.3 The German Contract: A Formidable Weapon for Bankers and Merchants -- 2.1.3.1 Introduction.

2.1.3.2 Antecedents: Partnership and census.